THURROCK Labour group have highlighted figures that show 42 borough families were made homeless during the first stages of the coronavirus pandemic.

From 23 March 23 to 7 June 42 Thurrock families lost their homes. There are now 180 Thurrock homeless families currently in temporary accommodation of which 55 have been placed outside of Thurrock.

The council's portfolio holder for housing, Cllr Barry Johnson, has acknowledged the figures and says the authority is reacting positively.

Cllr Lynn Worrall, Labour's Housing spokesperson, said: "When we look at these figures we must remember that these aren't just statistics. These are Thurrock families and to see so many homeless is deeply upsetting.

"The last few months have been difficult in so many ways and to lose your home on top of it is horrible."

"These are real people who are in desperate need of some help. We've seen a 20% increase in Thurrock households living in temporary accommodation. That is a tragedy for every one of them and it is totally unacceptable."

Cllr Worrall has written to Cllr Johnson, demanding action on this crisis.

She said: "A year ago Cllr Johnson said 'We are lucky in Thurrock that we don't have the numbers that some of the other boroughs do'.

"That shocking level of complacency really hasn't helped with this crisis. He needs to, urgently, get a grip before the situation gets even worse.

"We need to work with people as early as possible to help keep them in their homes as well as building more affordable homes for Thurrock folk - both things that Thurrock Tories have absolutely failed to do for the last four years."

Cllr Johnson told Thurrock Nub News: "I, and therefore the Council, take our responsibility extremely seriously when it comes to homelessness.

"I have always maintained that the Homelessness Reduction Act that this Government introduced was a step in the right direction in engaging with families or individuals at an early stage so as to prevent homelessness rather than simply 're housing residents.

"This was always going to make the numbers of persons the Council are dealing with rise. The placement of people outside of our borough is always a concern and something that we do try very hard not to do unless absolutely necessary; and to combat this we have brought back some HMOs to the Borough including help for our younger care leavers.

"We have also completed some housing projects and are very close to completing others. However I think by far our biggest commitment so far is that of building 500 new council Homes which is currently in the consultation process for identifying suitable sites."