Editing Nick Raynsford (section)

=== Councillor: 1971–1975 ===
Raynsford was a councillor for the [[London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]] from 1971 to 1975. Before he was elected to Parliament, he was director of the [[Shelter (charity)|Shelter Housing Aid Centre]].<ref name="theguardian.com" /> He says a major reason he chose to seek parliamentary office was his involvement in campaigning for better provision for the homeless, achieved through the 1977 Homeless Persons Act. The 1977 Act extended local council responsibility "to provide accommodation for homeless people in their area,"<ref>The Longman Companion to The Labour Party 1900–1998 by Harry Harmer</ref> and instituted the right of homeless families to a permanent local council tenancy.<ref>British Social Welfare in the Twentieth Century, edited by Robert M. Page and Richard Silburn</ref>