The proposals are included in the Council Housing Business Plan, which outlines how councillors believe the service needs to develop in the next 30 years.

It says the best way of improving council homes in Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham is by making the service independent.

But housing bosses have stressed the final decision on the sale of almost 9,000 homes depends on a ballot of tenants early in 2004.

The plan has been released for public consultation ahead of a revised regional housing strategy, due to be published in the autumn.

Copies are available online or at local authority offices and the closing date for comments is 20 October.