Coun Jarvis criticised plans to demolish homes

Independent councillor Chris Jarvis has been dismissed as cabinet housing spokesman after weeks of wrangling over plans to demolish over 2,000 homes in the city.

The scheme was in response to an Audit Commission report of the housing department which said it was virtually bankrupt and needed urgent action.

But the controlling Liberal Democrat party insist Coun Jarvis has failed to give their policy his wholehearted support and his behaviour was "unacceptable".

Housing regeneration

Homes in Orchard Park Estate, North Bransholme and Woodcock Street are earmarked for demolition as the city council seeks to regenerate its housing stock.

But Coun Jarvis told BBC Look North: "The housing issue is the biggest issue to hit the city in many years.

"It needs open debate, it needs opinion and it inevitably means controversy within the cabinet.

"We need a rethink and we need to look at this sensibly.

"The plans will destroy communities. 95% of the properties earmarked for demolition are fully occupied and this is a travesty."