A WAR of words has broken out between two Thurrock councillors over housing in the borough.

Ukip’s Tim Aker has hit out at the council housing waiting list which he says currently stands at 6,500 people, with an average of a ten year wait. He also said the level of migration into the UK was putting extra pressure on housing.

Labour’s Councillor Lynn Worrall though, in charge of housing, has hit back at Mr Aker and claimed he needs to do his homework on how housing in the borough works.

Mr Aker’s figures show the number of new council properties becoming available vary between 500 and 800 a year, averaging out at a ten year wait providing no one else joins the council house waiting list.

Mr Aker said: "We hear warm words every month from the portfolio member for housing, but I am still not sure what her views are on council housing.

"There is a crisis in council housing with residents joining the queue looking to wait ten years for their turn. Yet all we see is more private development and little thought given to social and council housing in Thurrock.

"Of course, when 330,000 more people enter the country than leave every year this places enormous pressures on housing, education, health and other vital services.

"Until this is brought under control, pressures will intensify and the situation will only get worse."

Ms Worrall hit back saying Mr Aker’s comments were made just for headlines.

She said: “Doesn’t he know we have the five year local connection rule to get council housing in Thurrock?

“Doesn’t he understand nobody coming here from other areas or inside or beyond the EU can have a council house?

“I regularly get told by Ukip councillors that ‘outside people’ are getting council houses. My reply is always the same: send me the details and if your claims are true then I will have the house removed from them.

“To date they have never sent me one address for the housing team to follow up, which leads me to believe this is just the usual scare mongering that Ukip and Tim Aker have come to rely on as the facts let them down.

“Thurrock Council has an ambitious plan for building council homes and estate regeneration as well as the exciting Gloriana project all aimed at improving our stock of homes for local people.

“These were approved and welcomed by all parties when I presented the reports at cabinet and then to all councillors at the recent full council meeting. I do not recall Mr or Councillor Aker having anything to say at either of those meetings.

“In Tilbury we have now started to build new homes on the old St Chad’s school site as part of our Gloriana programme.

“These homes are exclusively for Thurrock residents and will help young families get on the rental/housing ladder. Already this development has won a national award for its design.”