MORE than three-quarters of Southampton's 18,000 council tenants are satisfied with the City Council's level of service.

That's the finding of a city-wide poll conducted by housing bosses which shows that 78 per cent of tenants are happy with the service - a rise of three per cent on last year's total.

Satisfaction with people's homes is running at 82 per cent and there has been a two per cent increase in satisfaction with housing conditions, which is up to 78 per cent according to the survey.

Southampton City Council's Cabinet member for housing and homes, Councillor Paul Russell, said: "A decent, well-managed and affordable home is a basic right - and it is encouraging that so many of our tenants are happy with the services we are providing to meet this need.

"We are not going to be complacent and we are working hard to improve more council homes and provide even better services."

A survey which will look at council tenant satisfaction for 2005/6 will be mailed out later this year.