Every lift in council properties is to be replaced or refurbished as part of a £10 million plan.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s housing cabinet is expected to approve the investment next week.

The news comes after paramedics treating a sick pensioner had to be freed by firefighters after they were trapped in a lift.

The incident happened at Leach Court sheltered flats in Kemp Town, Brighton, where lifts have been regularly out of action over the past year.

An 88-year-old man with a history of heart problems was taken ill on Friday afternoon and was helped into the lift in a wheelchair by paramedics.

But the lift became stuck and firefighters were called to free the patient and paramedics.

One lift at the flats was out action for three weeks recently because a new electrical part had to be hand made in Wales.

Maria Caulfield, the council’s cabinet member for housing, said the situation was unacceptable.

The current contract, with Thyssen-Crupp, provides for routine service and minor repairs but individual bids have to be made for each major piece of work. Tenants have to wait for work to be put out to tender if their lift breaks down.

Councillor Caulfield is likely to agree to a nine-year contract for the work next week and seek tenders. A new contractor could be appointed in January.

Coun Caulfield said: “We need to inject real investment in our lifts to ensure they are reliable and can be fixed quickly.

“We want to make sure we get a good contract that minimises cases of lifts being out of action for a considerable time as happened at Leach Court.

“It is unacceptable people with mobility problems can be isolated in their homes.”

A ten-year contract for repairs and replacement of door entry systems and CCTV for council blocks is also to be considered at the meeting.

Coun Caulfield added: “There is no one contract in place for the supply, maintenance and repair of door entry, CCTV and fire alarm systems. This has resulted in long delays to repairs with vulnerable tenants left without proper security.”

Louis Loizou, secretary of the Leach Court tenants association, said five people were still flat-bound.

He said: “We need to upgrade the lift now, not in seven months.”