OFFERING council houses through a choice-based letting scheme instead of the current points system will benefit Redditch residents, a town councillor says.

Nigel Hicks has been looking into alternative methods of offering council housing and believes a choice-based letting scheme could be preferable.

Mr Hicks recently visited Market Harborough in Leicestershire with two council officers, which ditched its points scheme in favour of a choice-based letting scheme.

"A choice-based letting scheme allows people on the waiting list to say where they want to live rather than having a house allocated to them by officers," said Mr Hicks.

He said the Market Harborough scheme had received an 85 per cent approval rate from residents.

Mr Hicks explained that in Redditch, housing is currently allocated through a points system to those deemed the most needy, regardless of how long they have been waiting.

"But this can lead to a lot of dissatisfied people, because everyone on the housing lists has needs of their own and don't understand why some are forced to wait much longer than others.

"With the choice-based scheme, people say what they want and then will have to wait for as long as it takes for the property to become available. It works because it is so transparent."

He added: "The points-based letting scheme doesn't work when you have a contracting housing stock - which is what we have in Redditch."

Mr Hicks said officers would present their findings to members at a later date.