TENANTS living in Worcester's 5,000 council homes are being urged to attend consultation meetings about the future.

A series of open meetings and drop-in sessions have been organised by independent housing advisers acting on behalf of the Tenants Board.

They start today in Ronkswood and will be followed by others in Warndon, central Worcester, Dines Green and Tolladine.

Worcester City Council housing services is facing a financial crisis and is exploring ways housing can be provided in the future.

The council's own consultants came up with three options - leaving the current system unchanged, creating an arm's length company, or transferring the properties and housing services to an independent organisation. Each one has different financial implications.

Members of the authority's housing board decided they wanted to get views from the tenants themselves.

"It's essential tenants find out what's happening and they make their views known," said Jon Stevens, from Worcester Tenants' Advisers.

"Over the next six months, Worcester is faced with major decisions about its council housing. A service that has been taken for granted for many years could be faced with radical changes.

"These changes are all about attracting millions of pounds of investment and about providing a high quality of service."

The open meetings are on:

* Today, from 3-5pm at Chelmsford Court, Newcastle Close, and from 7-9pm at Ronkswood Junior and Infant School, St Albans Close (off Peterborough Close).

* Monday, September 24, from 3-5pm at Bilford Court, Southdown Road, and from 7-9pm at Warndon Community Centre, Shap Drive.

* Wednesday, September 26, from 7-9pm at Perdiswell Young People's Leisure Club, Droitwich Road.

* Wednesday, October 3, from 7-9pm at the Green Centre, Gresham Road, Dines Green.

* Monday, October 8, from 3-5pm at Rowan Court, May Avenue, and from 7-9pm at Tolladine Community Centre, Rowan Avenue.

* Saturday, October 13, from 10.30am to 1pm at Huntingdon Hall, CrownGate.

Drop-in sessions will be held on:

* Thursday, September 20, from 1-6.30pm at Ronkswood Neighbourhood Office, Wells Road.

* Tuesday, September 25, from 1-6.30pm at Warndon Neighbourhood Office, Cranham Drive.

* Thursday, September 27, from 1-6.30pm at Central Neighbourhood Office, Farrier Street.

* Thursday, October 4, from 1-6.30pm at Dines Green Neighbourhood Office, Gresham Road.

* Tuesday, October 9, from 1-6.30pm at Cherwell Close Sheltered Scheme.

* Friday, October 12, from 11am-3pm at CrownGate Shopping Centre.

Anyone unable to attend can telephone a free advice line on 0800 7838457.