THE future of council houses in Otley, Horsforth and Aireborough could be put in the hands of an area panel covering the whole of North Leeds.

Under Leeds City Council's Going Local scheme, the city will be divided into five or more management areas - which will consult tenants over who will manage and fund council houses in each area.

Options being considered include 'arm's length' management by an organisation outside the council but retaining council ownership, Private Finance Initiative funding coupled with outside management, or passing the council housing stock to another organisation, such as a housing agency.

Council housing director Eric Bowen told scores of Aireborough council tenants at a meeting last week: "I think some of our elderly tenants are a bit concerned when they hear about transferring housing."

He said Going Local would not mean a return to a local body such as Aireborough Urban District Council.

The consultation meeting took place in Yeadon Town Hall last Wednesday. Residents said they would be concerned about raised rents, provision of services and money spent on repairs if council houses were not in council hands.

And former tenants who have bought their council houses said they also wanted to be consulted over future changes to rented properties on their housing estates.

Housing officer Helen Correy explained that the area panels would be based roughly upon Primary Care Groups, which band together local doctors' surgeries.

But because most of Leeds City Council's housing stock fell within East Leeds, the area would have to be divided in two. It therefore looked likely that all council properties in North Leeds will be banded together - and will be managed by the same method.

The panels will consist of elected members, tenants and independent members.

The council hopes to have the area panels set up by September, and have the locally-operated housing organisations up and running by April next year.