Bexley councillors have faced questions as to why the number of families in temporary accommodation has “increased by 250 per cent” in the last four years.

Questions were raised over temporary accommodation numbers after Councillor James Hunt asked how the borough’s figures for children in temporary accommodation compared to surrounding boroughs.

Councillor Brad Smith said that in the latest figures, Bromley had 2,110, Croydon 3,726 and Lewisham had 4,269 children in temporary accommodation.

He said: “It can be seen that we are doing much better than nearby Labour boroughs, with far more than twice our numbers of 1,808.”

Cllr Francis, raised questions over the amount of extra money that has been pumped into housing in the last administration.

He said: “I’d be interested whether members on the other side believed that the council’s decision to approve a number of large applications with 0 per cent in affordable housing has contributed to the increase of over 250 per cent of families and children in temporary accommodation in the last four years in this borough.”

Cllr Smith replied: “A large contributing factor to our housing stock is the demolition and major regeneration schemes in Erith park and housing in Thamesmead. People needed moving into other available homes which meant they were not available generally.

“This was all done to improve the lives of residents living in this type of accommodation, by knocking down large tower blocks and building modern homes instead.

“The total affordable housing stock has increased since 2013/14 but we are determined to use every method possible to tackle the increasing housing pressures seen across other London boroughs.”

Cllr Smith said there are more than 1,100 new affordable homes under construction or with planning consent, of which 60 per cent will affordable rented and 40 per cent intermediate housing including shared ownership - for 2018/19 this includes nearly 200 in Erith Park and 70 affordable homes in Erith Riverside.

Nationally, it is predicted that there will be 100,000 households in temporary accommodation by 2020.