The handling of council homes across Sheffield could be taken over by the local authority in a bid to cut costs, reports BBC News.

Sheffield Homes - which currently manages properties owned by the council across the region - could now be managed in-house as it would "remove duplication and making savings", claims cabinet member for housing regeneration and planning, Harry Harpham.

This could mean that some social housing jobs in the area will be transferred in-house into council-run jobs.

Sheffield City Council's cabinet is due to meet on October 19th in order to discuss the option of bring the houses and jobs over to council control.

Initially, Sheffield Homes took control of housing in 2004 with the job of carrying out a "£600 million upgrade of every property in the city under the Decent Homes programme".

Harpham spoke to The Star about the recommendation: "One is to take on a new arms-length organisation like Sheffield Homes but after looking at the situation in depth we think the best option is to bring the housing stock back into council control.

"We will take a close notice of what the tenants tell us and if they so choose a new arms-length organisation will be set up. But legally the final decision must be taken by the council itself," he adds.