SWINDON Council could be forced to fork out almost £80,000 to pensioners being kicked out of their sheltered housing.

Eighteen residents, from 17 flats at William Robins Court, in Moredon, have been told they must move out of their homes by the end of the year to make way for younger tenants.

If all of the occupants move to other properties they will be eligible for up to £4,700 moving expenses per flat.

At a time when controversial cuts are being made in key services, the move has come under fire from residents and opposition councillors.

The sum would be enough to save three of the libraries under threat. Alternatively it would provide a quarter of the money being saved by mothballing the Groundwell park and ride, or two thirds of the money saved from withdrawing funding from Swindon Dance.

The move comes after the Ark report, an independent review of the council’s sheltered housing stock in 2007, criticised parts of the building.

Labour leader Coun Kevin Small said: “This must be extremely stressful for the people who are having to move. It would be a stressful enough experience for a younger person.

“I have concerns about the tone and direction the council is going in with some of its reports, in the sense that instead of looking for improvements they could make to solve a problem they are all too ready to say – this doesn’t work, let’s scrap it.

“Even if you accept the economic reasons that still doesn’t mean we should be moving people from their homes. If they believe there is a problem then they should talk to the residents and offer them the chance to move somewhere else if they want to.

“I would hope that this money will come from the Housing Revenue Account but if it is coming from general funds then I would be interested to know how they can find £80,000 to do this but they can’t find £50,000 to save two well-used libraries in Gorse Hill and Even Swindon.”

But ward councillor Colin Lovell defended the decision and said that the residents will be the ones that benefit most. He said: “I can understand why they would be distressed. They have their safety net there and change can be upsetting, but this really is for their own well-being and safety.

“The flats that are affected were deemed unsuitable by a independent report, mainly because of concrete floors and staircases. For their own safety we have to take that into consideration.”

Coun Lovell said he also had sympathy for the concerns of those remaining in the building, but believed they were misguided.

As the Adver reported on Saturday many residents fear that younger tenants will create havoc and destroy the peaceful community that has been built up. Coun Lovell said: “The type of people that would go into the flats certainly wouldn’t be the type having wild parties.

“They will be vetted very carefully and only suitable candidates will be allowed. I will do everything I can to ensure that.

“Younger tenants could be anyone in their 40s or 50s as well, so I think some people have got the wrong end of the stick.