England's four million council housing tenants hold the key to improving their own neighbourhoods, Housing Minister Grant Shapps has said.

Mr Shapps argued that some of the best examples of people contributing to the Big Society can be found on England's council estates - looking out for their neighbours and making efforts to make their streets better places to live. Yet only two per cent of council properties are run and managed by the tenants themselves.

So the minister has today backed tenants looking to build the Big Society in their neighbourhoods with up to £8 million government cash.

This money will be used to set up Tenants Panels where the key decisions to improve the local area can be made - such as how quickly repairs should be made, measures to make their streets safer and children's play schemes. The panels can also be used to hold landlords to account.

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The Minister is also planning to reduce bureaucracy and red tape to make it easier for tenants across the country to use their Right to Manage their council-run properties, take responsibility for managing their home from their landlords and take control for themselves.

Mr Shapps said: "The Big Society is alive and well in many housing estates across the country - but I want to make it easier for those who want to build the Big Society in their own back yard to do so. The Right to Manage gives council tenants the opportunity to take power back from their landlords, and take control over their own homes and to make the changes they want to see.

"There are inspiring examples across the country of where tenants have taken control. But at the moment, only two per cent of council properties are managed by their tenants - I want to see that figure increase substantially. That's why I'm backing tenants to the tune of up to £8m, and looking to cut the red tape and bureaucracy that stop so many people from coming forward."

(CD)