Homeless in Cornwall housed in Travelodges and Premier Inns

Emergency housing for homeless people in hotel chains in Cornwall is costing the local authority "an awful lot of money", it has emerged.

Cornwall Council is currently having to provide temporary accommodation for more than 700 households.

This figure has risen from a level of around 250 before the pandemic, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council currently has between 350 and 400 properties available.

At a meeting of the economic growth and development overview and scrutiny committee councillors heard the council is currently placing people in Travelodges and Premier Inns.

Phil Mason, strategic director for sustainable growth and development at Cornwall Council, said: "We don't have enough capacity in suitable accommodation for people who need housing.

"We are running out and have run out of accommodation as we head into summer.

"We are doing all we can to address that and we need to do more."

Mr Mason said placing people in hotels and B&B accommodation "costs an awful lot of money" and also warned that the council was unable to recover that cost through housing benefit payments.

He warned the council had overspent by £5m last year and that it was expected to be higher again this year.

The council has already started providing more modular housing such as the Bunkabins which were placed at several council-owned sites. But councillors have been told they need to do more.

Olly Monk, cabinet member for housing, said: "There is a target for more temporary, emergency and modular accommodation.

"It is that accommodation that we are really striving to improve. We have 1,500 in temporary emergency accommodation right now.

"That will only improve when we can provide accommodation. I want that figure up to over 1,000 to ensure that everyone who needs temporary accommodation is in council owned accommodation."

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