Green Party councillors in BCP are demanding new powers to help the council reclaim properties owned through offshore companies, following a parliamentary report that revealed 82 homes in Bournemouth East are registered abroad.
Bournemouth East MP Tom Hayes told Parliament on 5 November that an investigation he conducted uncovered dozens of properties held through offshore entities, raising questions about transparency and fairness in local housing.
Winton East ward Councillor Chris Rigby said the figures show how the system enables wealthy investors to avoid accountability while local residents face rising living costs. “Every pound hidden offshore is a pound stolen from our public services,” he said.
Fellow councillor Simon Bull added that while many landlords act responsibly, the student housing market has become “a nice little earner for far too long,” leaving many struggling to find affordable accommodation.
East Cliff and Springbourne councillor Sara Armstrong said treating homes as investment assets rather than part of the community “pushes up rents, limits options for families, and harms our hotel industry.”
The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Green Party wants to see compulsory purchase powers used on properties owned by shell companies avoiding tax.
The group said councils should be funded and empowered to reclaim assets for community benefit, adding: “Cut the bureaucracy, fund the councils, and let communities take back control.”
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