YOUR editorial (LET, March 17) accused Blackburn with Darwen Council of burying its head in the sand over the future of its council houses.

This is simply not true. We have for a number of years been taking action to review and reduce the number and type of council homes where there is low demand. Examples have included Delph Lane maisonettes, Mill Hill flats and Roman Road.

However, last September, the council recognised that continuing on as we were was not an option. We therefore decided both to apply for a place on the Government's Annual Stock Disposal Programme and at the same time to develop a stock retention strategy.

We now know that, for technical reasons, the Government will not at present allow the council to dispose of its housing. But we have in the meantime spent six months working on the stock retention strategy.

This is based on a hard-headed analysis of the popularity and sustainability of different estates and different types of houses and will be completed in the near future.

The Council will continue to pursue all possible options to provide and maintain decent homes for our tenants.

COUNCILLOR MOHAMMED KHAN (chairman) and Councillor DAVE HOLLINGS (vice-chairman) Housing and Community Services Committee, Blackburn with Darwen Council.

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