WAVERLEY Borough Council has welcomed a Government announcement that it will not press aheaad with ‘Pay to Stay’ proposals which would have seen council tenants with a combined household income of more than £31,000 per year forced to pay up to full-market rents.

The additional income would have been paid directly to the Government rather than being invested back in local council housing services.

Under a new Housing and Planning Act, it will now not be compulsory for councils to increase rents as household income rises, although local authorities can take into account earnings when carrying out annual tenancy reviews.

Carole King , Waverley’s portfolio holder for housing, said:“This is very positive news from the Government. Apart from the additional bureaucracy and costs pay to stay would have caused, it would have been a worry for many tenants who are on or near the threshold level and working hard to make ends meet.”

The Government also indicated it will put £8billion into affordable housing. and council officers will watching to see what the implications are for Waverley.