COUNCILLORS have unanimously backed calls to analyse the potential threats to those seeking affordable homes if Parliament passes the Housing and Planning Bill.

Executive member for public health and wellbeing Cllr Maureen McLaughlin proposed a motion on the matter at the full council meeting in the Town Hall last night, Monday.

She said passing the bill could threaten the provision of affordable homes for rent and sale through extending the Right to Buy to housing association tenants and by 'undermining' requirements on private developers to provide affordable properties.

Cllr McLaughlin also urged the council to note there is 'no commitment' in the bill that affordable homes will be replaced 'like for like' in the area.

She said: "It is important that we continue to have a mix of housing provision in Warrington to meet the needs of all our residents at the different stages in their lives.

"The bill effectively ends a local authority's ability to secure the mix of new homes needed in the area and will inevitably lead to fewer affordable homes when the need has never been higher.

"With regards to Right to Buy, while I am mindful of the fact that for some families this will be an attractive proposition, there are a number of pitfalls to this policy.

"In the past, Right to Buy has led to more and more social housing being bought up and eventually moving into the private rented sector."

As the motion was backed, the council is now set to analyse the likely impacts of the bill being passed.

It is then set to support leader Terry O'Neill in writing to the secretary of state covering the concerns of the town, as well as sharing them with the Warrington's MPs David Mowat and Helen Jones.

A motion, proposed by Liberal Democrat leader Bob Barr, asking the council to write to the two MPs urging them to support the authority's position on affordable housing, was also unanimously backed.

Calls for the MPs to make representations to ensure the 'genuine' one for one replacement of social rent or affordable rent homes lost under Right to Buy were also backed.

During the meeting, Cllr McLaughlin also admitted she has concerns over recent research linking work capability assessments with suicides and increased mental health problems.

She added: "We do know that in Warrington isolation and unemployment are two of the key factors which can increase the risk of suicide."

The council is currently putting together a bid with Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester for funding to provide proper support for people recovering from mental health illness and who are deemed fit for work.

But Cllr Russ Bowden, who is in charge of the council's budget, believes the most vulnerable will continue feeling the effects of Government cuts.

He said: "Our residents will pay the bill – local government is being lined up to fire the bullets and take the flak for the Government's policy and inaction in protecting the most vulnerable in our society.

"Warrington deserves better – the people are being let down again."