Caroline Lucas has criticised last week's Government proposals for the reform of council housing finance, saying that reform is overdue and does not go far enough.

Caroline Lucas, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion constituency, said:

"The Labour Government's proposals for reforming the current archaic and unfair system council house finance are too little and, probably, too late. Reform of this stealth tax on the poor is long overdue.

"Each year more than 150 councils are forced to hand over almost £300 million of the rent they collect from some of England's poorest households.

"Much of this money is pocketed by the Treasury and lost to housing.

"Brighton and Hove City Council alone will have to hand back £2.9 million in 2009/10 and a projected £3.3 million in 2010/11 - money that could be spent locally dealing with the city's housing crisis."

Caroline, who is tipped by pollsters to become the MP for Brighton Pavilion, added, "The proposed system would allow councils to keep all their rent surpluses and invest them in new homes and better management and maintenance.

"It makes a lot more sense. But Greens believe the government should also write off the outstanding house-building debt of £25 billion owed by councils.

"This would leave more money to invest in new homes and to ‘green' existing homes and create many jobs in in the building industry.

"Labour has been pressed on all sides to reform the system for 13 years. However, they have left this announcement to little more than six weeks before a general election they are likely to lose.

"This laggardly approach really begs a question about their commitment to social housing and council tenants. "

For more information please call the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670