Neighbourhood wardens may be drafted on to streets where elderly people say they are afraid to sleep at night.

Tenants of flats in Girlington - at the heart of last year's riots - have appealed for their rotten doors and windows to be replaced because they fear they can be forced open.

They petitioned Bradford Council this year, appealing for action, but it could be months before they can be replaced.

Officers will tell tomorrow's social care and housing scrutiny committee at City Hall that repair work has been prioritised because of pressure on the Council's budget.

They recommend the work should be placed in the first year's programme for Bradford Community Housing Trust when it takes over the 26,000 homes in the spring.

The officers suggest the provision of wardens can be explored because they are likely to be brought into Four Lane Ends and Manningham. Members will be told it may be possible to get a part-time warden to cover the properties occupied by the 70 tenants.

A bid will also be made for funding for improvements to the ten-year-old lighting from West Yorkshire Probation Service.

But a storm is expected at the meeting when Labour member, Councillor Lynn Joyce (Keighley South) complains about the lack of repairs pending the transfer of the Council's properties to the trust.

The Telegraph & Argus revealed recently that the housing repairs fund had run into the red by at least £1.3 million and only limited work was being done.

The executive committee agreed last month that £500,000 should be transferred into the repairs account to ease the problems.

But Coun Joyce said: "I shall be bringing up this whole question of lack of repairs again at the committee."

But executive member for community - including housing - Councillor Kris Hopkins has said the same amount as normal is in the repairs account, but there have been an exceptional number of requests for repairs to be carried out.

The tenants have been given a pledge of £170 million of improvements after the transfer and guaranteed rent levels.