A PARISH councillor has hit out at fellow colleagues for ditching a much needed affordable housing scheme in Stoke.

Last month Stoke Parish Council agreed to take no further action on providing a small number of homes because 21 out of more than 3,600 residents didn't want the scheme.

But at last week's meeting Councillor Athol Deakin said the group had made the decision "in ignorance" and had made a mistake.

"The ballot, on which this council has based its decision, was for parishioners views on the sites chosen, not the scheme itself.

"If residents don't want these sites then we should find new ones and keep on providing them until residents agree. The scheme will not be halted," he said.

Earlier this year a housing needs survey was carried out by the parish council and the county rural housing enabling officer to identify the need for homes.

Results showed that there was a need for the scheme for people to rent or part buy on a shared ownership or low cost basis.

A number of sites were then identified in Stoke Prior and Stoke Works, but before any site could be considered residents needed to have their say at a consultation meeting.

But only 30 questionnaires and two letters were returned by the deadline and of those 21 did not support the need for affordable housing or the building of new homes for rent or shared ownership.

Other councillors said they thought the process had been fair.

Cllr Roger Moule said if people didn't support the scheme then neither should the parish council. And fellow councillors said if parishioners didn't want the scheme, then it was up to them.

But Cllr Deakin added: "People want this housing scheme, just not on the sites suggested."

Chairman Thelma Roll said the group would stand by its decision not to go ahead with the scheme.