THE future of council housing in Kirklees was in doubt last night after a special investigation.

Councillors yesterday voted to delay a contract extension for Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing, which manages 23,000 homes in the district.

Last month Kirklees Council’s Labour Cabinet gave KNH a new five-year contract with enhanced powers.

However, opposition Conservatives “called in” the decision to the Scrutiny Panel.

The four-strong body met for seven hours yesterday to consider the contract extension.

The Scrutiny Panel heard from Kirklees Cabinet member for housing Clr Shabir Pandor and the council’s assistant director for housing Kim Brear.

Kirklees director of well-being Merran McRae also spoke at the meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall yesterday.

Conservative panel members Clr Ken Sims and Clr Nigel Patrick voted to send the decision back to Cabinet, while Lib Dem Clr Robert Iredale and Labour’s Clr Carole Pattison voted against.

The decision will return to Cabinet because Clr Sims, as panel chairman, had the casting vote.