ALL 6,000 council homes in Crewe and Nantwich could be sold off because the local authority cannot afford their upkeep.

The borough council is looking to sell them to a new non-profit making housing trust which will own and manage the homes.

A ballot of all tenants will be held early next year. A management board, made up of five tenants, five councillors and five independent members of the public will run the housing trust.

The tenant members will be elected by their fellow tenants and the council is now looking for applications from members of the public who feel they have the right skills.

Head of housing, Cllr Maureen Grant said: "Transferring all our properties to a new, not-for-profit housing trust would enable us to raise the funds necessary to carry out all the repairs and modernisations that our tenant's homes need, without putting their rents up to unaffordable levels.

"We think this is the right way forward but it will be up to the tenants to decide.

"In the meantime, we need to set up a shadow organisation to be ready to take over the management of the homes should the tenants decide in favour of the transfer.

"That is why we are holding tenant elections now and why we are asking local people with suitable skills to come forward.

"It is with a sad and heavy heart that we are doing this but the council needs £7million a year to bring the houses up to a modern standard.

"The capital receipts we receive for the properties will go back into the council's coffers to be used on other capital projects.

The council has already set up a freephone hotline on 0800 1697351 to answer tenants' worries and concerns.

There will be a consultation period over the next six months, including newsletters, a video, and a number of meetings.