HYNDBURN Council has been accused of misleading its tenants over plans to put transfer their homes to the management of a housing association.

People living in the borough's 3,500 council homes will be balloted next year on whether they agree to the change of landlord.

But Hyndburn and Rossendale Trades Union Council claim the borough council is giving out the message to residents that the only way their properties can be brought up to standard is by voting yes to the transfer.

Peter Billington, secretary of Hyndburn and Rossendale TUC, said: "The council's statement is no longer valid following the Labour Party's decision to adopt the policy that councils that retain ownership of their housing should not be financially disadvantaged.

"This means that they would get direct Government funding to bring properties up to standard.

"Tenants should not now be told that the only way their properties will be improved is by giving up their council tenancy."

Hyndburn is considering following other East Lancashire councils such as Blackburn with Darwen and Burnley by handing over houses to a housing association, which have access to cash to improve properties.

However, Councillor Tony Dobson, Hyndburn Council's portfolio holder for public housing, said that the council had not intended to give the impression that transfer was the only way forward and that it would be the tenants who made the final decision.

He said: "The council's stated position is that the residents will decide whether or not the transfer goes ahead. We will provide them with all the information, but in the end it will be their decision.

"What we have made clear all along is that the level of funding that we will have to continue to rejuvenate council premises and property will decline in real terms over the years.

"This is particularly the case because of the 'right to buy', which affects rental incomes and therefore the amount the council has to spend on repairs.

"The reason we have gone for this option is that it allows us, on behalf of those residents, to borrow money against the value of the properties and treat it as a normal business, which means that we could meet the needs and aspirations of the residents in terms of the repairs they want."