Blackpool Coastal Housing (BCH), Blackpool Council's arms length housing firm, sent seven employees to Poole.

The visit has been labelled "pointless" by Mereside Tenants and Residents Association treasurer Bruce Allen. But bosses insisted the visit would help them offer the best service possible. They stressed they had done everything possible they could to keep costs down.

BCH chief executive Peter Jefferson said staff had shared a minibus to Poole rather than taken the train to the "benchmarking exercise" at Poole Housing Partnership.

He added some had shared rooms in low cost, out-of-town accommodation.

Mr Jefferson said: "We strive to make our services the best possible and to do this we are required to benchmark ourselves amongst other ALMOs (arms length management organisations) in the North West and further afield."

Employees visited Poole Housing Partnership.

Mr Jefferson said: "We were able to learn from their differing ideas and practices which we will now be able to adapt to benefit our organisation and residents.

Visiting other organisations is seen as better than going to conferences and seminars as those conferences do not display best practice in action and allow us to see first hand how the best operate. It is also more cost effective."

Residents, who say requests for a new complaints procedure were refused on cost grounds were not happy.

"It comes from a lack of respect," Mr Allen said. "They seem to think the residents should keep our mouths shut and take what we are given.

"This trip included overnight stays and probably pretty decent hotels. You have to ask is it a good way of spending money.

"We asked for a new complaints system but were told it was too expensive."

A council spokesman said there was already a complaints system in place.

Mr Allen urged bosses to think carefully about how they spend residents' rent in future.

BCH runs properties throughout Blackpool including on Grange Park and Queens Park.