MANAGERS of sheltered housing accommodation in Glusburn and Cross Hills are planning a reorganisation which will leave just one warden covering two complexes.

Anchor Trust, a non-profit making social landlord, has announced that from April 1 one manager will cover Sunnybank House in Glusburn and Town End Close in Cross Hills.

The cut-backs have been blamed on new Government funding arrangements - which the company says puts the cost of scheme management onto the tenants, making it more difficult for smaller complexes to fund a full-time manager.

In future, the Town End Close manager will spend 30 hours a week in Cross Hills, and 10 hours at Sunnybank House.

The company has promised residents will be consulted before the move goes ahead.

Judith Crowther, director of housing services at Anchor, said: "We have come to the difficult decision to replace the residential manager at Sunnybank. This is as a direct result of the new funding system which means that for the first time tenants at each development will be responsible for the full costs of the scheme manager.

"As there are only 18 people living at Sunnybank House, the cost to each individual will be too high for a full-time manager to remain in post.

"As a responsible social landlord, we have naturally examined alternative methods of funding. But the inescapable conclusion was that continuing with the current arrangements would jeopardise the financial future of the development."

The centralisation has come under fierce criticism from local councillors.

Coun Gill Birks, chairman of Glusburn Parish Council, said that she was very concerned about the move.

"The elderly people in Sunnybank House will now come under the warden at Town End and as I see it, will be likely to experience delays in getting help as a result. The warden cannot be in two places at once."

County Coun Philip Barrett said he was disappointed about the proposed reduction in warden provision. "I understand the reason being given by the housing association is the "Supporting People" legislation. This offers no comfort to the residents who will receive less warden cover."

Town End Close has 27 units within its development.

Anchor's sheltered housing developments are communities of people aged over 55 who rent properties and live independently within their homes, but receive additional services, including the scheme manager.

Many of the tenants are in receipt of various state benefits, including housing benefit. Traditionally the costs of the scheme management have been met, partly or in full, by the housing benefit of those who qualify.

But the Supporting People initiative means that only a limited amount of money will be provided to local authorities to pay for services such as the scheme managers.

A spokesman for Anchor said: "As a result, each development will have to be able to meet the full cost of its scheme manager's service on its own. At developments with a small numbers of tenants, the cost per tenant will be higher than in larger developments because there are fewer people to share the same charge."

He added that Glusburn and Cross Hills was the only area in Craven which would be affected by the changes.