John Harris is absolutely right to draw attention to the tragic lack of council housing provision in the UK, and his visit to the new homes at Rainbow Way in Minehead, Somerset, is a welcome reminder that building genuinely affordable, secure homes is both possible and transformational for people’s lives (In Somerset, I found glorious proof that England can build great council houses. So what is holding us back?, 25 January). The emotional testimony from residents who now have stability and dignity in their housing reinforces how urgently we need similar projects across the country.

However, my own experience working on the East Quay project in the adjacent town of Watchet reinforced another uncomfortable truth: local authorities do not always have the will or imagination to take the initiative and improve things for their residents.

In Watchet, it was not the local council that led progressive change, but a remarkable community group, the Onion Collective. It was their vision, determination and grassroots effort that catalysed significant positive change in our town. Without their leadership, much of the regeneration and community benefit that has taken place would not have happened.

This is not to downplay the importance of progressive national policy or council housing initiatives, but to underline that change for the better often requires leadership that goes beyond what councils alone are prepared, or able, to deliver. If we are serious about addressing the housing crisis, we need political leadership that empowers and partners with communities, values local initiative, and supports groups that are already driving tangible improvements on the ground. Dr Piers Taylor Architect and professor of knowledge exchange in architecture, University of the West of England

The answer to John Harris’s question about why we don’t build more council housing is that the government does not consider it a priority. In an interview, when the housing secretary, Steve Reed, was asked why Labour didn’t build council housing like the Attlee government did, he said “people’s aspirations are different” today. Between the aspiration and the means is an unbridgeable gulf for most people. The more than 130,000 households in temporary accommodation and 1.3m households on waiting lists in England are not going to be able to buy a home. Nor are many of those forced to live in the expensive private rented sector. They need social rent council housing urgently.

Aneurin Bevan said that “the speculative builder is an unplannable instrument”. The government today is looking to the modern equivalent to resolve the housing crisis. This flies in the face of historical experience. They build at a pace and a scale that will maximise their returns and the dividends of their shareholders.

The government’s social and affordable homes programme will fund 18,000 social rent homes a year – just 6% of their 300,000 target. There is no funding specifically for council housing. Councils will have to compete for it with housing associations. Before the right-to-buy scheme, council housing facilitated home ownership. The reasonable rents enabled tenants to save a deposit, buy a home on the market and hand the keys back to the council for those on the waiting list.

Council housing remains the key to resolving the housing crisis. Pressure needs to be brought to bear on MPs, as it was with winter fuel payments and disability benefits. Martin Wicks Secretary, Labour Campaign for Council Housing