PROPOSALS to give more tenants the right to buy their homes could damage the quality of social housing, a senior Southend councillor fears.

The Conservatives have announced an extension of the Right to Buy scheme as part of their election manifesto.

But Labour’s Ian Gilbert, deputy leader of Southend Council, said: “There are a number of problems. I think the biggest danger is it threatens the viability of housing associations full stop.

“They would be unable to raise funds for future investment if they are liable to have to sell their stock off at a big discount.

"How are they going to be able to manage their areas?”

Mr Gilbert, who is Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Rochford and Southend East, also expressed fears social housing tenants are being encouraged to move to areas like Southend from London.

He said: “The other problem is the Government was proposing to force associations to sell their high value properties to fund this. This generally means London, so if you reduce social housing in London, that could encourage tenants to move to places like Southend.

“It could cause a massive strain on Southend.”

As of January, there were 6,043 council homes in Southend, of which 50 were available – with a waiting list of 1,520.

Tory plans would grant 1.3 million tenants nationwide the right to buy their homes.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: “It shows that we’re a government that’s on the side of working people who want to get on and build a better future for themselves and their families.”

But Liberal Democrat spokesman Lord Paddick said the scheme would result in “longer waiting lists for homes and fewer social houses”.

Simon Cross, Green Party candidate for Rochford and Southend East, said: “We have pledged to create new social and affordable houses without any recourse to selling off any more housing stock.

“The problem with Right to Buy is we are not given any option to actually replenish the stock that was bought. The policy proposed by the Tories is going to make a dent in housing association stock.”