A leading supporter of the campaign to transfer council housing has apologised for misleading the public.

Ian Tinlin, who is on the shadow board of Brighton and Hove City Housing, claimed in a letter to The Argus that Birmingham City Council had been forced to cut its workforce by a third after tenants voted no in its poll.

He was writing in support the proposals by Brighton and Hove City Council to transfer its council homes to a housing association to free up Government money for refurbishments.

But it has since emerged no such staff cut took place in Birmingham.

Labour city councillor Jack Hazelgrove wrote to Birmingham City Council to query the claims and received a written reply from its chief executive, Stephen Hughes.

Mr Hughes said: "Firstly, I would like to state that it is simply not true that we are reducing our workforce by a third.

"Secondly, in response to the 'No' vote Birmingham City Council found the resources within the organisation to meet the Decent Homes Standards."

The letter, which appeared in The Argus on January 30, was signed by Mr Tinlin and his wife Lorraine.

In it they questioned a previous report in the paper about Camden council's No vote and showed Birmingham as an example of why tenants should vote to transfer council homes in the city to a housing association.

It read: "Birmingham's 'No' vote has left the council so strapped for cash it has reduced its staffing levels across the entire workforce by a third."

Mr Tinlin, chairman of Albion Hill Residents' Association, said: "I apologise. I wish someone had put it right for me. That is the honest truth, I didn't mean to mislead anybody.

"I was just asked to write the letter and I was trying to be fair and open. I cannot remember who gave the information that was given to me."

Tenants have until February 20 to vote on plans to transfer the council homes to a housing association. Supporters of the Yes campaign argue such a move would release much-needed funds to bring the homes up to the Government's minimum standard.

No campaigners counter it would force rents up because the association would have to borrow money for the improvements.

There are also fears any future housing association would be a takeover target by another larger housing association.

Coun Hazelgrove said he believed Mr Tinlin's apology was sincere but added: "These types of stories about councils in trouble tend to get circulated and they're almost inevitably untrue or exaggerated."