SOCIAL housing tenants in Wales will have the right to vote to move back into council tenancy after delegates supported a Unison Cymru Wales proposal to change the law.

Unison’s Sarah Taylor said the union “has argued for many years for social housing to be delivered, built and maintained by democratically accountable local councils.

“Tenants were never told that the decision to transfer housing to the private sector was irreversible.”

Ms Taylor added: “We are simply calling for legislation where unhappy tenants can decide they want a vote to decide they want to return to their local authority.”

Unite Cymru’s Dylan Lewis-Rowlands supported the proposal and said the housing sector needed radical reform, urging the Welsh government to beef up its housing white paper.

“We need a renters-rights-based approach and rent controls,” Mr Lewis-Rowlands said.

Housing Cabinet Secretary Jayne Bryant said the Welsh government supported Unison’s motion and would commission a report to look at the viability and how often ballots could take place.