Campaigners calling for the “desperate” housing need in Wycombe to be addressed with a public meeting have been labelled as “whingers” by a Conservative councillor.

Delivering a motion to Wycombe District Council last week, East Wycombe Independent councillor Julia Wassell requested more transparency and help for those who needed housing.

However, during a debate, councillor for Bourne End cum Hedsor, Tony Lee, said he was listening to constant whinging about something which is not a new problem.

According to Cllr Wassell, the motion aimed to give people who need affordable housing in the district a voice, with hundreds of homes earmarked for the area.

She said: “There is not one consolidated voice or organisation to speak for those people, many of whom remain hidden in their homelessness.

“We need local homes for local people. We feel the way forward for this is to have an additional strand in the reserve site programme, we feel there should be a summit on housing, open to the public, open to stake holders.”

Cllr Tony Lee said: “I’ve sat here this evening listening to whinge, after whinge, after whinge.

“This is not a new problem, this is a problem which has been around this town for many years. I think we’re doing a very, very good job.

“There are of course people without housing, I do feel sorry for those people, I know that we’re doing our best.

“And, rather than sit here and whinge, whinge, whinge, I would like to hear from the people who are whinging what their suggestions are to solve this problem, because it’s not going to be done by a magic wand.”

The motion specifically asked for a community meeting, or summit, to be held discussing affordable housing and the released reserve sites.

The five reserve sites of Abbey Barn North and South, Gomm Valley, Slate Meadow and Terriers farm could all have hundreds of homes built on them.

Bucks Free Press:

Councillor Julia Wassell.

In response to Cllr Lee’s claim, Cllr Wassell said: “The point is we in our political party and most of us in oppositions are activists. We want action, we don’t want to be whinging.

“We don’t want to say well we’re not sure what the housing need is we want to do something, if it came to building our own housing and teaching people how to build their own houses we would want to do it.”

Labour councillor, Khalil Ahmed, said: “I think that is quite evident the reason why we are whinging because we’re doing and raising awareness of the issue that is becoming apparent.”

A majority vote rejected the motion, although Cllr Wassell said it was heartening to see support from other parties.