Tenants will be part of a team considering the options for Oxford City Council's housing stock, city council leaders have pledged.

The council has to complete an appraisal of its ability to achieve the Government's 2010 Decent Homes Standard for its 8,000 council houses. The appraisal must be completed by July 2005.

Last month, the Liberal Democrat group warned that it could cost £30m over the next six years to radically improve about half of the homes, so that they can meet the stricter standards.

Selling council-owned properties, including shops, is one way of raising the necessary finance.

The executive board members agreed that a stock option project team should be established. They also agreed that an independent tenants' advisor should be appointed by tenants, in conjunction with the Oxford Tenants' Panel.

Val Smith, the council's executive member for housing, said: "The stock option process will be long and complicated, but tenants will be fully involved."

Mary-Jane Sareva, a spokesman for the Oxford Federation of Tenants' Associations, which has been derecognised by the council, said: "I don't believe that city council tenants are being given a say in a way which will do them any good.

"I am not convinced that the Decent Homes Standard is a workable way to assess properties. There are some council properties in Oxford that do need work, but they are still reasonable homes."