COUNCIL bosses will set aside millions of pounds to buy 16 homes in a bid to cut the number of homeless families being put into emergency bed and breakfast accommodation.

Colchester Council plans to use £2.9 million to buy up the homes which will be allocated to families in need.

Bosses hope buying the homes will, in the longer-term, lead to a reduction in the amount paid out to house families in temporary bed and breakfast accommodation.

In 2016/17, 325 households were accepted as homeless.

Of that number, 204 were homed in temporary accommodation, costing Colchester Council tens of thousands of pounds.

In a report set to go to senior councillors next week, it states: “Colchester has achieved its targets for new house building for many years, but nationally housing supply has fallen well short of what is needed for decades.

“The council and its partners have had some real successes in preventing homelessness from occurring in the first place.

“However, the number of households in temporary accommodation has continued to increase.”

Cabinet members will be asked to agree the plans, which also include launching a two-year pilot scheme to provide greater incentives for private landlords to take on Colchester Borough Homes tenants.

The scheme will be funded by £1 million in New Homes Bonus cash and £864,000 in right to buy housing receipts.

The majority of the remainder will be borrowed.

Since 2014, council housing officers have prevented more than 2,300 households falling into homelessness.

Councillors will also be told temporary accommodation is often the last resort of households.

The report adds: "The uncertainty and temporary nature of the accommodation places strains on mental health and relationships.

"Children in a household can see their education disrupted.

"Households can be provided with temporary accommodation that is a significant distance away from support and community networks at a time when they are needed most."