By james art “One tenth” of Ferryhill’s population is made up of people displaced by London councils and this has been happening for “years”, local leaders believe.
Entire streets are now said to be full of vulnerable families who have been displaced hundreds of kilometers from their support networks.
Charity workers in Ferryhill explained how the problem had “been going on for years” and the town had already reached capacity with homes full of vulnerable people from outside the area.
The Northern Echo previously revealed that London councils may be breaking the law when they move families to County Durham without notifying the local authority.
The organisation, which represents all of London’s city councils, has admitted the “harmful impact” that moving homeless people out of the capital is having.
A spokesman for Durham County Council outlined how they could not determine how many people had been relocated to County Durham.
Kat Merrington, manager at the Ferryhill Ladder centre, which supports families in need, described how they had been trying to raise the issue with MPs for years.
(Image: Stuart Boulton) Over the past six years they have supported numerous families who have been relocated to the area by London councils.
She said: “This has been going on for years. Most of them are housed in properties that are not suitable.
“They tell them the properties are furnished and it’s just absolute c***.
“These are people with chaotic lifestyles and many of the families have children with quite intense needs.
“We already have a huge problem with homelessness in County Durham.
“Every MP has been notified of this. It’s been going on for six years.
“This problem has already happened, there are no homes left to accommodate people. That’s why it’s happening now in places like Easington.
“I would say a tenth of the people in Ferryhill have moved into the area. Whole streets in Dean Bank and near the station are full of people from down south.
(Image: Google) Curtis Bihari, County Durham councilor for Ferryhill, agreed when asked if he thought 10 per cent of people in Ferryhill had been moved up by councils to the south.
He said: “This is something we have been fighting for as local councilors for some time. I’m glad Echo is picking up on this issue and raising awareness.
“These people are particularly vulnerable and are being let in here without any support networks.
“Rogue companies and landlords who have never set foot in Ferryhill are exploiting people and it is damaging to our area. Things have to change.”
Fellow County Durham Councilor Peter Atkinson was also well aware of the issue in Ferryhill and explained how it was putting a strain on food banks.
He said: “I recognize the problem. I am working behind the scenes with the support of fellow councilors trying to get some action on this.
“I know the fantastic efforts of people in our community here, but this is an added strain on all our services.
“We run a couple of food banks in Ferryhill and they are really busy.
“We have enough to look after our own people here without the added strain on our resources caused by southern councils being able to do that.
(Image: Stuart Boulton) “If we’re going to welcome people into our community, we need some kind of financial support for the area.”
Alan Strickland, Labor MP for Ferryhill, said: “Some private landlords are being paid through the nose to house families in completely unacceptable conditions.
“That’s why the Labor government is passing laws to tackle rogue landlords and give councils stronger enforcement powers.”
A spokesman for Citizens Advice described their concerns about people being relocated in County Durham and confirmed they were gathering evidence on the matter.
Cllr James Rowlandson, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for resources, investment and assets, said: “While we are not aware of any evidence outlining how many people have been relocated to Ferryhill, we are aware that London councils are offered their residents private rentals in other parts of the country, including the northeast.
“It is difficult for us to determine the exact number of people who have been relocated in County Durham or in a particular area within the county, as in most cases we only find out that people have been relocated in our area when we are approached by councillors, local charities, community members or families themselves seeking support and help.
“We will always ensure that residents receive the right support once they arrive in County Durham. However, this practice places an additional strain on councils’ resources and local community services and we will continue to work with London councils and partners to raise this issue.”
A spokesman for London Councils said: “Councils make every effort to find accommodation for homeless households as close to their community as possible.
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“Accommodation outside of London is only done as a last resort when no suitable local options are available – or to support homeless families when they prefer to move outside the capital. The majority of these placements are in local authority areas outside of London, and the areas aim to provide wider settlement support that residents may need.
“One in 50 Londoners is currently homeless and living in temporary accommodation, including one in 21 children in the capital. London’s chronic shortage of affordable housing and high rates of homelessness mean that boroughs face extraordinary challenges in finding homes for homeless Londoners. We recognize the devastating impact this has on households, particularly families with children, and the impact on housing in other parts of the country.
“London boroughs are committed as ever to working with our fellow councils and the Government to tackle these issues and end homelessness.”