COUNCIL proposals to reduce the money in its housing budget look set to go ahead despite widespread concern among tenants.

Epping Forest District Council currently places money collected from its shop tenants in its housing budget as revenue for important repair and renovation work for its many properties.

But it is now looking to transfer that money away from housing and into the general budget to help fill any holes from the impending Government grant cuts.

Vice-chairman of the district's tenants and leaseholders federation Mike Tobin told last night's (September 13) cabinet meeting his members felt they were being “short-changed”.

He said: “We understand you still have quite a lot of time before you set next year's budget. This is too important an issue to rush.

“If you make a wrong decision on this complicated and important issue there'd be no excuse. Please don't have some knee-jerk reaction which you might regret.”

Council housing portfolio holder Dave Stallan said he couldn't support the plans and would be voting against them.

Finance portfolio holder Chris Whitbread said: “I do believe we have to be fair to both our tenants and the residents of this district. It's about making the right choices for the future of our district.”

His comments drew an angry reaction from independent councillor Stephen Murray who said: “I think about the only thing I agree with you is this is a serious matter and should be dealt with in a serious way.

“You sit there tonight saying this is about fairness but I don't think that's the case.”

Mr Murray also asked why, as chairman of the council's Housing and Scrutiny Panel, his committee had not had prior warning of the plans.

He was backed by Overview and Scrutiny Committee chairman Richard Morgan who also expressed his surprise that the plans had not been examined in detail before coming to cabinet.

Mr Whitbread conceded that the plans should come before a scrutiny panel before a decision was made.

His cabinet voted the issue through on the grounds it will be scrutinised before it is decided on at full council.