Tenants may lose rent men

Police have recommended Derwentside District Council make the move to prevent its two rent collectors becoming targets for robbers while carrying large amounts of cash.

Now councillors are considering asking council house tenants to pay their rent through the Post Office or by direct debit.

The move follows a number of complaints by rent collectors of being followed and the mugging of a council rent collector who was forced to surrender hundreds of pounds to a robber when he was beaten up on Shield Row, in Stanley, more than two years ago.

Leader of the council Alex Watson argued that the safety of the public as well as council staff was at stake.

He said: "People can be very trusting and we don't want a situation to arise where people try to con old people who keep their rent in cash in the house. And we certainly don't want a real tragedy to happen where someone is really hurt.

"Security firms carry money around in armoured vans and that's no accident. We just can't have a situation where we can't ensure our staff are safe."

He added that both the rent collectors would continue to be employed by the council in another capacity.

Chairman of the Derwentside Residents' Association Allan Harley said the development was sad but inevitable.

"It's unfortunate because it's one less contact with an actual person for people who might be isolated," he said.

"But I think we have to accept that the council has to make sure their staff are safe and, to be honest, there's not many people who pay that way now in any case.

"I know it was an issue when housing associations stopped making door-to-door collections a few years ago but it was inevitable the council would follow."

The issue was brought to light in a council report into health and safety of staff.

Leading councillors last week agreed that alternative ways of paying should be investigated.

Members of a scrutiny committee are expected to ratify the proposal this week.