A MASSIVE sale of council homes is being urged by Conservatives in a bid to solve a borough's housing problems.

Tory councillors in Blackburn are increasingly concerned about spiralling costs and growing numbers of properties standing empty. Around 500 council homes are currently unoccupied and repair bills for decaying homes also run into millions.

Now a Government plan to transfer public housing stock in large chunks into private hands is being backed by the borough's Tories.

And minister David Curry has said councils will lose out on funding if they refuse to join the scheme.

The plan would be to set up non-profit making organisations and housing trusts to run estates.

The Tories have also put forward an alternative budget to the ruling Labour group's proposals.

Both parties would raise council rents in the borough by around nine per cent for the coming year.

But the opposition wants to spend £200,000 less on the borough's high-rise flats. The plan would be to spend the money on essential repairs at other properties. Tory housing spokesman John Williams said: "It seems that the Labour Party just want to keep pouring money into something that is in danger of becoming a white elephant.

"If we had looked at all the options earlier in the year, we would now be further down the road in trying to find a developer to take over the sites occupied by multi-storey flats.

"The problem with voids is they are costing this council millions in lost rents.

"If housing staff were given incentives I am sure the number of voids could be cut. We would also be looking at getting private estate agents involved in letting or selling off houses."

Blackburn housing chairman Sue Reid responded: "The Government's Housing Investment Programme allocation for the year is an insult.

"Now Mr Curry wants us to take away a tenant's right to chose who their landlord is.

"Under these proposals we would have to transfer part of our housing stock to private landlords without giving any consideration to the needs of the people living in our homes."

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