Bromley’s top councillor for housing has been quizzed over the amount of affordable homes being built in the borough.

Councillor Peter Morgan was grilled over the number of affordable homes being built at a meeting on Monday night

Clock House ward councillor Josh King asked the member for recreation and housing: “Does the portfolio holder agree that 22 affordable homes completed in Bromley in a year is not acceptable, given the level of demand for housing within the borough?”

Acceptances into temporary accommodation in Bromley have risen 135 per cent since 2012, with 1,439 households now placed in it.

Cllr Peter Morgan said the council was working to increase the numbers.

He said: “The council actively seeks to ensure the provision of affordable housing on all new developments in line with guidelines and planning policy.

“The target is for 35 per cent on site affordable housing provision in Bromley for developments of nine units or more.

“Payments in lieu are an exception where independent assessments have shown on site affordable housing is not viable. The Council has used those contributions to provide additional accommodation via housing associations.”

On average, 31 affordable units have been built in Bromley per year since 2013.

Councillor Morgan said: “During the past five years around 155 new affordable units have been delivered and Payments in lieu have secured a current pipeline of 198 affordable housing units with our housing associations.

“The council actively seeking to increase supply through a range of activities across the markets, and ensuring the best use of existing affordable housing becoming available for re lets to meet housing need.”

About 155 new affordable housing units have been developed over the last five years, and payments in lieu will fund approximately 198 new units with housing associations.

Cllr King asked if the cabinet member would agree with Sadiq Khan’s council home programme.

Mayor Khan launched a scheme earlier this year to build 10,000 new council homes in the capital by 2022.

Cllr Morgan said: “Yes, where this is possible and viable. There are certain parts of his policy I think would lead to fewer homes therefore I wouldn’t want to go down that route.

“But certainly we are concious of the need to provide more affordable homes and that policies will have to be used for this.”

Councils will be able to bid for a share of the £1.67bn secured from the government for affordable housing.

It is the “first ever” City Hall programme dedicated to council housing, the Mayor said at the time.