THURROCK Council insists it "always endeavours" to keep homeless families in the borough, amid claims they are being sent as far as Durham.

The comments come after Thurrock Ukip claimed that the council is attempting to rehouse homeless families in private rented accomodation hundreds of miles away.

A spokesman for the council said: "Thurrock Council will always endeavour to house Thurrock people in Thurrock. When there are extreme and extenuating circumstances, this is occasionally not always possible.

"The council makes every effort to house those who become homeless - in cases where a person has made themselves intentionally homeless, there are limited options.

"It is Thurrock Council’s policy not to comment on any individual circumstance which could identify an individual or family regardless of any reporting inaccuracies."

Luke Spillman, UKIP Thurrock Housing Spokesman, believes the council is unable to secure privately rented properties in Thurrock due to a "lack of availability and high rents." 

He said: "I have spoken many times about the social cleansing occurring because of the chronic housing crisis in Thurrock. If the council can't secure housing in the private market, what hope do Thurrock residents on low and middle incomes have?

"We have seen years of negligence from both Conservative and Labour governments refusing to act to build homes. We face a chronic housing crisis and yet this Conservative government have thus far failed to act.

"It's simply not good enough.

Mr Spillman continued: "UKIP Thurrock demands that the Council immediately end its unacceptable policy of forcing some of our most vulnerable residents hundreds of miles outside of the borough.

"We also demand that the Conservative's make public their plans for house building in Thurrock.

"The Tories honeymoon period is over it's now time for them to deliver the homes Thurrock residents so badly need."