Plymouth Labour says it is ‘extremely concerned’ at the rise in the numbers of households in the city in temporary accommodation with the number of children in bed and breakfasts more than doubling since the Conservatives took power last May.

Between May 2021 and February 2022 the numbers of people placed in temporary accommodation has leapt from 209 to 285 – an increase of more than a third – while the number of children has more than doubled from 15 to 34.

“We now have families effectively living in bed and breakfast which is extremely concerning,” said Cllr Chris Penberthy, who is Plymouth Labour’s Housing spokesperson.

“The housing waiting list has gone up by more than 10%, the shelter has closed and we are seeing more rough sleepers.

“Put bluntly, single people, households and children are being failed by this Conservative administration and we need urgent action from them to tackle this.

“We would be ramping up work with local housing and homelessness organisations to make more housing available now and to build more housing now.”

Cllr Penberthy explained that if Labour was in control the council would also be encouraging and supporting housing providers in the city to exercise their right to buy former social housing properties back when they come on the market .

“They should be accelerating the building of affordable housing but they’ve not been developing more pipelines for new homes at all during their tenure,” said Cllr Penberthy, who is a St Peter and the Waterfront ward councillor

“There are solutions but there’s no urgency from this administration to tackle this, they’re failing children and anyone who needs a permanent home in our city.”