THE fight is on to save social housing in Furness as changes to the law look set to slash council budgets.

Barrow Borough Council has 2,700 properties and is one of only three authorities in the North West to still have council housing.

Fears have now been raised that serious cuts from legislative changes means the authority faces losing between £1.9m and £2.6m in rent reductions over the next four years.

Councillor Kevin Hamilton said the council must "fight" the "attack on social housing."

Cllr Hamilton, the chairman of the council's Housing Management Forum, said the borough council lost £197,000 from the Housing Revenue Account budget this year through the one per cent rent reductions imposed through the Welfare Reform and Work Act.

There are to be one per cent rent reductions for the next three years which will have a "serious financial impact" on the authority's ability to maintain its stock.

The council is also facing various challenges through benefits changes, such as tenants changing to Universal Credit and being responsible for paying rent themselves. Officers have to spend more time recovering rent.

The council has created a Housing Services Working Group to considering the future delivery of its housing services and to develop a business plan and financial strategy for the next three to five years.

The group has been advised to consider all the options of management and ownership of the housing stock.

There was a round of applause and backing from fellow councillors when Councillor Hamilton spoke at a full meeting of Barrow Borough Council on Tuesday.

Councillor Hamilton, who was himself brought up in council housing in Barrow, said: "This is an attack on social housing. I hope every member of this chamber will fight to save social housing.

"This council already keeps its rents low. They are some of the lowest rents in the country.

"We are one of only three councils in the North West to have housing stock and I hope it stays the same."

Cllr Hamilton said if the council could not afford to maintain its properties it would be "letting its tenants down".

He also said there was a concern of losing social housing to housing associations.

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