The Shelter Local Housing Watch website says of Weymouth and Portland at 2010: “You would have to earn £41,177 per year to afford to buy an average-priced house in your area.

“There are 3,874 households on the waiting list for affordable housing in your area – at current letting rates this will take 17.61 years to clear.

“Independent experts say your area needs to build 800 homes per year. Your council planned for 83 new affordable homes to be provided in your area last year. This was less than the number of new affordable homes needed.

“Despite this, only 57 new affordable homes were delivered on average in each of the last three years, even less than the number planned and less than was needed.”

In short less than one tenth of the required work is being done each year.

Mike Hodder, Legion Close, Castle Park Dorchester