A LAST ditch effort to secure council tenants' homes has failed.

Stroud District Council's scrutiny committee asked cabinet to look again at the way it consulted with Woolaways residents on the future of their homes.

They demanded a fresh questionnaire be sent out after tenants said they did not understand the document.

But despite agreeing to review the matter in light of scrutiny's comments, housing chiefs have gone back to their original decision.

At a cabinet on Thursday, Cllr Linda Townley (Uplands, Ind), criticised the council for ignoring scrutiny's recommendations.

"You can't have it both ways," she said.

"You want an active scrutiny committee but you've not based your decision on what we've said.

"You've not dealt with the problem sensitively and you haven't involved tenants in the drawing up of the questionnaire."

Last month, the Conservative-led cabinet resolved to demolish eight homes in Stonehouse and hand over the land to a housing association for redevelopment.

The fate of other Woolaways homes around the district - Stroud, Leonard Stanley and Minchinhampton - have yet to be decided.

Councillors say they cannot afford the £6.8million needed to repair the 102 homes, which have major structural problems.

John Jeffreys, cabinet member for housing, said he is responding to concerns by agreeing to appoint an independent tenants advisor.

"There has been a narrowing down of options," he said.

"We've had to make some unpalatable and difficult decisions.

"We have had a clear message from the Government office that we have to meet decent homes standards for our housing stock by 2010.

"This is our duty and if there were alternative cost effective options for meeting this target we would consider them."

Each tenant will receive £4,000 compensation, called the home loss payment, from the district council.