SALISBURY district council has been accused of wasting taxpayers' money on lavish brochures "bullying" tenants into accepting the transfer of its housing stock.

But council chiefs have hit back at the claims, which came after the bulky consultation booklets dropped on to the doormats of each of its leaseholders last week.

While some tenants say the near £50,000 expense is unwarranted, the council argues it is a drop in the ocean compared to the £6m savings that would be made every year if the transfer goes ahead.

The council insists it was legally required to produce 7,750 copies of the 90-page booklets explaining the proposals, delivered at a total cost of nearly £30,000.

A further £19,500 was spent putting together an additional 13-minute DVD, which illustrates the major points of the proposal to transfer control of the council's 5,400 homes to a new not-for-profit housing association.

A total of 4,750 copies have been made of the film, presented by newsreader Lisa Aziz, which will be distributed when officers visit tenants to discuss the plans.

But one council tenant who has fought the transfer for 15 years said she was reduced to tears when the booklet dropped through her letterbox. "It is such a waste of money. Everything in the brochure has been said time and time again," said Ann Kingston, of the Bulbridge estate in Wilton.

She was appalled at the no-expense-spared appearance of the booklet, which she fears will lead to tenants believing that opposing the plan is pointless.

"People say to me it is a waste of time to vote because it is a foregone conclusion, but I say you must vote," said Mrs Kingston.

"I am angry at the way the council is handling this and the bullying way it is treating its tenants."

But the council says it has been given no option but to propose transferring its housing stock to South Wiltshire Homes, which it helped set up, and rejects the criticisms over the amount of money it is spending.

"The total cost of the exercise is £600,000 - that's one tenth of what we pay out to the Government every year," said head of housing management Derek Street. "Of the £18m we raise in rent, around £6.1m has to be paid to the Government."

If the transfer goes through, the housing association would not have to pay this levy, which the council says will enable improvements that would not otherwise happen.

"The council would have £19m to spend on modernisation and improvement work over the next six years, whereas South Wiltshire Homes would have £50m," said Mr Street.

He also delivered a stark warning to tenants that he believes voting 'no' does not mean a vote for maintaining the status quo.

"The council would have to make savings of £1m per year," he said, adding that policies of fewer repairs and increased service charges could be introduced to balance the books.

Tenants have until September 29 to submit their comments on the plans. Depending on the feedback, a ballot should be held in October or November.