FURNISHED council flats will be offered to prospective tenants who cannot afford the costs of moving into a bare home.

Housing staff could install carpets, curtains and "white goods" such as a fridge and cooker to help people on low incomes.

They hope that this will also encourage tenants to stay longer in their homes, and that it will take less time to re-let properties. Currently the council strips its houses of everything when tenants move on.

Some 65 tenancies will be offered, and more could be on the way, depending on the scheme's success.

Tenants would have to pay a weekly sum, on top of their rent, to hire the goods. However, most would be able to claim a higher rate of housing benefit to cover the extra. The scheme will cost £100,000 to set up, but finance itself in this way in future.

A working party has been set up to work out the details of the scheme and how much it will offer.