COUNCILLORS in York have spent millions of pounds on housing homeless people in bed and breakfasts and hostels in the last year, new figures show.

The latest data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities figures shows City of York Council spent a total of £1.3 million on temporary homeless housing in the year to March, which is down from £1.6 million the year before.

Hostels which includes refuges and emergency units accounted for a significant amount of spending with £1.2 million paid – 91 per cent of the total expenditure for temporary accommodation last year.

A further eight per cent went towards housing people in bed and breakfasts in the area.

Last year's spending is higher than the amount spent five years ago when £1.1 million was put towards temporary homeless accommodation in the city – equating to an increase of five per cent.

Denis Southall, head of housing management and housing options at City of York Council, said: “City of York Council provides temporary accommodation to people who find themselves homeless, many of whom are vulnerable. A range of temporary accommodation and support is provided which includes James House, which has 57 purpose-built flats.

"In addition to this, the city has a well-established accommodation and support pathway for single homeless people. On any given night, there can typically be around 350 households in temporary accommodation.

“Bed & Breakfast is used only in exceptional circumstances. In 21/22, the council spent £151,000 on this and has spent £9,000 this financial year. These costs are recovered via benefits and resident contributions. We support people in to more permanent housing options including social housing and the private rented sector when they are ready.

"Anyone who is either homeless or threatened with homelessness should contact the housing options team on 01904 554500 or housing.options@york.gov.uk”

But York Central MP, Rachael Maskell, has hit out at the council, stating that the authority's failure to build housing in the city has led to this spending on emergency accommodation.

Maskell said: "This council has one of the worst records for building social and affordable homes, resulting in people being inadequately housed, waiting years on waiting lists for a home and resulting in private rent rising faster than just about anywhere in the north.

“When I walked through the streets in the early hours in the summer with the Salvation Army, 23 people were sleeping rough that night. The council are now seeking to cut funding to the Salvation Army who do more than anyone else to get people off the streets, they have also defunded the support for the NAPpad, a four-bed unit to house vulnerable people.

"Under this Government and council, there is no understanding of the housing crisis, no leadership and no plan."