The Government's contempt for the wishes of council house tenants beggars belief.

Many are living in sub-standard accommodation that would require millions of pounds in investment to bring it up to a decent standard.

The Government's response to this is effectively to blackmail councils and tenants over their so-called housing options appraisal process by saying unless you choose one of the options they give you (transfer to a housing association, arms length management organisation or private finance initiative), there will be no money for investment.

Indeed, at a recent tenant conference in Brighton and Hove, a Government spokesman suggested if tenants vote to stay within council control it would be assumed they don't want decent homes. This sort of attitude is disingenuous in the extreme yet sadly typical.

I would like to offer my wholehearted support to the Defend Council Housing group's effort to persuade the Government that councils and tenants should be given a fourth option - of direct investment, backed by an investment allowance.

There is a large amount of council housing on the Hangleton and Knoll estate and I believe its effective management will be best served by remaining under the control of a democratically-elected local authority.

Votes in local authorities as diverse as Birmingham, Camden, Wrexham, Stroud and Islington indicate that many tenants agree with this.

The lack of information provided to council tenants in Hangleton and Knoll about the options appraisal process is nothing short of scandalous. The council is supposed to be employing an independent organisation to provide tenants with impartial information but, as far as I'm aware, not one single public meeting has taken place.

The stated ethos of this council is to provide tenants with as much choice as possible over where they can live. However, telling them that if they say yes to leaving council control they will get the money to improve their homes and if they say no they won't is no choice at all.

-Councillor Peter Willows, Conservative member for Hangleton & Knoll, Brighton & Hove City Council