THE planned closure of a housing office has sparked anger.
The office serving Kirklees Council tenants in Honley is expected to shut in September.
Tory councillors have slammed the decision, made by Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing.
Clr Donald Firth said: "This office has only been open about a decade. It cost a lot of money to open and it has only recently been refurbished.
"The decision to close it adds up to a scandalous waste of public money."
Housing staff said three-quarters of tenants in the Honley area used the phone rather than visiting the Eastgate office.
Tenants are being told they can arrange home visits by officials.
Clr Firth said the closure would be to the detriment of people who used the office.
He said Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing's action came irrespective of what tenants wanted.
"The closure is initially for a six- month trial, but it will be a miracle if it ever opens again."
But it was said that tenants' representatives had been fully involved.
Clr Andrew Cooper, Kirklees Council Cabinet member responsible for housing, said: "The Honley office is a local one for a relatively small number of tenants, many of whom find it impossible to get to it by public transport."
A Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing spokeswoman said: "Only 25 tenants out of 1,900 in the office's area pay their rent there. Most pay through the post office."
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