It has been alleged that cuts in the NI Housing Executive's maintenance budget could leave some tenants in a Co Antrim seaside town in unsuitable housing.

The claim comes as a parallel fall in the number of tenants leaving Housing Executive and housing association properties in Carrickfergus means it is taking longer for people on the list to receive a house.

Significant investment in new housing has been ordered, but NI Housing Executive officials know that funding is only guaranteed for the first two years of a five-year programme.

Addressing a meeting of Carrick Borough's Building Services committee, Area Manager Frank O'Connor explained last week: "There are four areas of activity. In terms of waiting lists, the list for Carrick has seen a slight decrease but is still a significant list at about 500 people - an increase of 20% compared to five years ago.

"The stock available between the Housing Executive, which has 1,900, and housing association, which have 500, is substantially occupied. We are relying on relets when people terminate their tenancy and move on.

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"Five years ago, we would have expected 250 a year, so we could house half the people on the list in a year. Now, relets have dropped to 150 a year. That puts a squeeze on the number of properties available for reallocation," he said.

It is a situation that is being seen right across Northern Ireland and, to address this problem, investment in housebuilding across Northern Ireland is to increase to a level not seen for many years.

Carrick is due to receive 320 units over the next five years: work is due to start on 29 in the current financial year, an investment of £3 million, and a greater number in 2010-11, but in common with other areas, the support of both the Minister and the Executive as a whole for housebuilding across Northern Ireland, is only guaranteed for the period April 2009 to March 2011.

On maintenance, Carrick's representative on the Northern Ireland Housing Council, who is concerned that the agency's dramatic fall in income has prompted it to axe all but the most urgent maintenance programmes.

Deputy Chief Executive Stewart Cuddy acknowleged: "This has been one of the most difficult years in the Housing Executive’s history, with a shortfall in the housing budget of £100 million. We have had some money in-year, but we are still £90 million short.

"The shortfall came about because of the collapse of the housing market: our income is generated primarily in capital receipts from sale of houses and land. For several years, we sold several thousand units; last year, we sold 50. This year to date, we have sold 100," he explained.

However, large sums of money will be spent on social housing in Carrickfergus this year - £3 million on new build, £2 million on capital improvement and maintenance and £1 million on the Supporting People programme.

But, as a result, maintenance and improvements will be largely restricted to emergency response work, provision of disabled facilities and grants which the organisation is legally obliged to provide.

(BMcC/KMcA)