THE door-to-door rent collecting service in Caerphilly county borough is to be cut.

At a meeting this week it was decided only council tenants who live in sheltered housing, or who receive disability or attendance allowances, will be able to have their rent collected at their doors.

Members of Caerphilly council's living environment committee agreed the proposals, which could involve cutting the number of rent collectors from six to three.

A final decision will be made at a council cabinet meeting on February 14. The authority previously considered scrapping door-to-door collections two years ago after a rent collector was attacked and robbed, but eventually decided to maintain the service.

The council says other payment methods available to tenants include direct debit, telephone payments and cash offices.

But Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge said yesterday that he was disappointed the decision had been made to reduce the service. "The rent collectors are a focal point of the community - people look forward to seeing their friendly faces," he said.

"How can they expect these people to pay at post offices, when sub post offices are being closed in the area?

"And why should elderly and disabled people have to set up direct debits? This is just not acceptable."

The rent collectors, who are to be offered early retirement or redeployment, have also opposed the cuts.

One, who did not wish to be named, told the Argus they had suggested phasing the service out gradually, offering it only to existing tenants but not new ones.

"We will be in a position of being able to collect rent from one woman who is on mobility allowance but not from her neighbour," he said.