STROUD District Council is calling on the government to give tenants more time to decide on the future of the district council's houses.

Tenants and the council are required by the government to vote either to retain Stroud District Council as its landlord or transfer to a housing association, and this decision is due by the end of the July. Currently the district council looks after 5,300 dwellings.

Both the council and tenants' groups feel that they need more time for such an important decision.

The last time this matter was put to the vote in November 2003, 57 percent of tenants voted not to transfer to a housing association.

The options must looked at again in order to meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2010.

One must be chosen and signed off by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The options are: * The council keeps the housing stock * To have an Arms Length Management Organisation * Total or partial stock transfer to a housing association * Private Finance Initiative <sum> Mix and match. <sum> Since November, tenant representatives have been working with an independent advisor to prepare for a fresh look at the options. A newsletter in February explained progress to all tenants and sought their views on future service standards. Last month councillors and tenant representatives met together in a new Housing Options Steering Group to oversee the process of establishing what service levels tenants require and how these can be achieved in the future.

Cllr John Jeffreys, Stroud District Council's cabinet member for housing, said: "This doesn't give us long enough to do the job properly. I have set out to Government an improved timetable that will provide time for proper processes to be followed. This should enable a consensus to be reached on the best way forward for both the council and our tenants".

All tenants and councillors are welcome to attend future meetings of the options appraisal steering group, which will take place on Wednesday, March 16, Wednesday, April 6 and Wednesday, April 27.

Details of times and venues are available from the tenant services team on 01453 754164.