PENDLE Council's Housing and Community Services has installed a new computer system to help improve efficiency for tenants.

The system will replace a total of seven separate databases that the service currently uses.

Coun David Clegg, the council's executive member for housing said: "I am delighted that we have installed this new computer system.

"It will free staff time from back-office duties and allow more face-to-face contact with customers.

"Our customer satisfaction levels are already impressive.

"In our recent satisfaction survey, 79.5 per cent of our tenants indicated that they were satisfied with the service we were providing. Nevertheless, we want to build on this and achieve higher standards for our tenants and this new computer system will help."

Ian Broughton, the council's housing and community services manager, said: "The installation of the system will help the service meet targets set for the council by the government. All of our services have to be accessible via the internet by 2005.

"We are on track to achieve this."

The new computer system handles everything from an application for council housing, administration associated with collecting rent, through to the repairs and maintenance of a council property.