A cash carrot scheme which has freed up more than 150 Angus council house bedrooms has been suddenly dropped.
Since April 2011, the Downsizing Incentive Scheme has offered tenants up to £2,500 to move to a smaller home in what officials last year said was a big success in maximising housing stock use.
The scheme, which was adjusted last September to offer a maximum £1,500 payment for tenants downsizing three or more bedrooms, was also hailed as an aid in helping residents meet the challenges of the so-called bedroom tax.
Over two years of the programme, three-to-two and two-to-one moves accounted for more than half of the downsize payments and almost 90% of DIS recipients said they had moved due to their current property being too big.
In a brief announcement, the council has signalled the end of the scheme, in a move which a leading councillor said had also caught him by surprise.
“The voluntary scheme was set up to assist eligible tenants living in council accommodation that is too large for their needs to downsize to smaller more appropriate properties,” a spokesman said.
“While all applicants have been notified of the closure of the scheme, the council is asking anyone who has queries to contact the housing team on 08452 777 778.”
Angus communities convener Donald Morrison said: “The Downsizing Incentive Scheme has been taken up and it has been a help to many families and to the council but I think in its current form it has probably run its course.
“The scheme was extended from the previous administration having allowed tenants to come to us and make it known that they would consider downsizing.
“As it has progressed it has allowed the council to identify more tenants that may be suitable and I am pleased that we are now looking at a new improved scheme which will hopefully be more targeted towards assisting people, and that we can get that in place as soon as possible.
“We’re still seeing issues regarding housing benefit changes and the ‘bedroom tax’ and people’s circumstances continually change.
“Hopefully the new scheme will allow us to know where people are who could maybe benefit from such a scheme and we can go to them in a more targeted fashion.”