The Prime Minister visited Southfields yesterday to meet residents who are making use of changes to the Government's Right-to-Buy scheme.

David Cameron, visiting St Michael's Church in Wimbledon Park Road, chatted for 20 minutes to tenants who are to benefit from an increase in the discount available to tenants buying their council homes.

A new policy introduced by the Government has come into force which will give up to £75,000 off the normal price.

It is hoped it will reinvigorate the right-to-buy scheme introduced by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s which was hugely popular in Wandsworth at the time.

Sales tailed off significantly after discounts were cut in the early 2000s and were not adjusted to properly reflect fast-rising house prices.

Nationwide, only 3,690 tenants brought their homes in 2010/11 - and in Wandsworth only seven utilised the service.

Leader of Wandsworth Council Ravi Govindia, who met the PM along with housing minister Grant Schapps, said: "House prices have grown well beyond the reach of hard working families.

"The new Right to Buy is offering these households a tremendous opportunity to become home owners and to take a greater stake in the local community.

"The scheme will release millions of pounds to build new affordable homes and to help other types of first time buyers to get their foot on the property ladder.

"In Wandsworth we strongly believe that owning your own property should not be a privilege held by the wealthy few but open to all.

"It is vital to maintaining a healthy and diverse community and we will continue to work with the Government to develop more innovative ways of helping our residents to own their own homes."