Brentford and Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury has welcomed the recent announcement by the Mayor of London that Hounslow Council will receive new funding to buy back over 500 council homes.

Sadiq Khan struck a new deal with Hounslow Council in December to bring 555 homes back into council ownership. 

Hounslow will receive £38.7m from the Mayor's new Right to Buy-Back fund - the biggest allocation yet since the initiative launched in July.

The fund gives boroughs and council-owned housing companies the ability to purchase homes from the open market, including former council homes that have been sold through the Government's Right to Buy programme.

Speaking after the announcement Ruth said: "I know from listening to local residents that the housing crisis is having a big impact on so many people, and this is a welcome step to tackling this crisis.

"This move will make a huge difference for those on the housing waiting list locally and comes on top of Hounslow councils ongoing work to build more council homes."

25 of the new homes will be allocated to care leavers in the borough and another 20 to refugees who've arrived from Afghanistan.

Ruth said: "I know that many people locally want to see us doing everything possible to support those forced to flee from the Taliban such as former Army translators, human rights activists and many other civic figures.''

She added: "The historic decision by the Thatcher Government to force councils to sell council homes saw 36% of council homes end up in the hands of private landlords, and local councils were left powerless to stop the sell-off.

"This is why it's so good to see both the Mayor of London and Hounslow Council taking bold action."

All homes purchased through the Mayor's "Right to Buy-back" fund must meet the Government's Decent Homes Standard.

Whilst 20 of the homes will be for Afghan refugees and 25 for care leavers, the remaining 510 council homes will be made available to house individuals and families on the council's housing waiting list.

The first families could be moving in by early January.