I am a bit confused over the figure of £650 million being quoted by Brighton and Hove City Council in the article in The Argus (July 17).

This was the amount required by the council to bring the housing stock up to a decent standard.

As a tenants' representative, I attended the area panel meeting in July 2002 and we were given a report on the stock conditions of council-owned properties and the amount of cash required to bring them up to standard.

Council figures said 13 per cent of homes required more than £5,000 to be spent on them and 34 per cent required less than £5,000.

If we take that as an average of £5,000 per property, surely the figure would be in the region of £30 million and not £650 million, as stated.

We are also aware rents for council housing are to be brought into line with the private sector by 2010. This will give a rent revenue equal to the housing associations.

Surely, after 2010, if the council manages its stock wisely, it will be in a better position to maintain stock than a housing association would be because housing associations will borrow money that has to be repaid out of the revenue of rents.

This is something the council, at the moment, cannot do. We must remember the 13,000 properties are owned by the people of Brighton and Hove and should be kept for future generations; not given away to housing associations.

-DT Lewry, secretary of MESATA (Moulsecoomb East Social and Tenants Association)