QUESTIONS from Thurrock Nub News have been answered with confirmation that Thurrock Council has struck a deal with a private company that is buying properties in the borough and leasing them to the authority so they have house local tenants on its social housing waiting list.

The council has kept a low publicity profile about the scheme - which some critics have questioned as they believe it is an expensive way of getting round the borough's social housing shortage – and counter claims the deal it has brokered will actually save local taxpayers almost one and a half millions a year.

The council struck the deal with property investment firm Phi Capital Investments Limited (Phi) earlier this year but has refrained from releasing much public detail about it.

Nub News spoke to several leading councillors in the past week who claim they were not aware of the deal. And they questioned the financial probity of any deal that they believed had not been subject to local scrutiny.

However, PHi managing director Omar Al-Hasso, says: "Thurrock Council have taken a proactive approach to resolving their affordable housing supply shortages and we are pleased to be working with them on this project.

"In the first two months of engagement we have identified and are acquiring over 70 new affordable rented homes for the council."

In response to questions from Nub News about the deal, and its financial veracity, a council spokesperson said: "The council can confirm that we are working with the Phi lease scheme."

When the deal was initially struck housing portfolio holder Cllr Barry Johnson is reported to have said: "This collaboration will ensure that we continue to provide much-needed affordable housing for our residents in Thurrock. We are committed to investing in housing, and this project will enable us to take another significant step to achieving this goal.

"More families, households and individuals across our borough should have access to, and be able to benefit from, high-quality housing."

Cllr Johnson has been succeeded by Cllr Luke Spillman since the deal was made but Cllr Spillman has confirmed the scheme remains. He told Nub News: "The council can confirm that we are working with the Phi lease scheme, but will not release commercially sensitive contractual agreements.

"However, we are delighted that these agreements are part of a package that will save Thurrock taxpayers £1.495m a year, previously spent on expensive nightly-let privately rented emergency accommodation.

"In addition, this package will deliver many more in-borough temporary accommodation placements that we have previously been able to offer.

"This will improve outcomes for vulnerable Thurrock homeless families by reducing the need to make emergency out of borough placements, allowing them to maintain contact with family, friends and other essential local services such as schools and GP practices."

Cllr Spillman has summed up the deal on social media as 'a fantastic bit of business'.