"A tenth" of Ferryhill population moved there by London councils

Entire streets are now said to be full of vulnerable families who have been moved hundreds of miles away from their support networks.

Charity workers in Ferryhill have explained how the problem has been “happening for years” and the town has now reached capacity with homes filled with vulnerable people from outside of the area.

The Northern Echo previously revealed that London Councils may be breaking the law when they move families up to County Durham without notifying the local authority.

The organisation representing all London borough councils has accepted the "detrimental impact" that moving homeless people outside of the capital is having.

A Durham County Council spokesperson outlined how they could not determine how many people have been moved to County Durham.

Kath Merrington, manager at the Ferryhill Ladder centre which supports families in need, described how they had tried raising the issue with MPs for years.

(Image: Stuart Boulton) Over the last six years, they have supported numerous families who had been moved to the area by London councils.

She said: “This has been going on for years. Most of them are put in properties which are not suitable.

“They are told that the properties are furnished and it’s just absolute c***.

“These are people with chaotic lifestyles and lots of the families have children with quite intensive needs.

“We already have a massive homelessness issue in County Durham.

“Every MP has been made aware of it. It’s been happening for six years.

“This problem has already happened, there aren’t any homes left for them to move people into. That’s why it’s happening in places like Easington now.

“I would say that a tenth of people in Ferryhill have been moved to the area. Whole streets in Dean Bank and near the station have been filled with people from down south.”

(Image: Google) Curtis Bihari, Durham County councillor for Ferryhill, agreed when asked if he thought 10 per cent of the people in Ferryhill had been moved up by councils in the south.

He said: “This is something we’ve been fighting for a while as local councillors. I’m delighted the Echo is picking up on this issue and raising awareness.

“These people are particularly vulnerable and they’re being dropped here without any support networks.

“Companies and rogue landlords who have never set foot in Ferryhill are exploiting people and it’s detrimental to our area. Things need to change.”

Fellow Durham County councillor Peter Atkinson was also well aware of the problem in Ferryhill and explained how it was putting more strain on food banks.

He said: “I do recognise the problem. I am working behind the scenes with the support of fellow councillors on trying to get some sort of action on it.

“I know the fantastic efforts of people in our community here, however, this is an extra strain on all of our services.

“We do operate a couple of food banks in Ferryhill and they are really busy.

“We have got enough of looking after our own people here without the additional strain on our resources which is caused by the southern councils being able to do this.

(Image: Stuart Boulton) “If we are going to take people into our community we need some sort of financial support for the area.”

Alan Strickland, Labour MP for Ferryhill, said: “Some private landlords are being paid through the nose to house families in totally unacceptable conditions.

“That’s why the Labour government is legislating to tackle rogue landlords and give councils tougher enforcement powers.”

A spokesperson for Citizens Advice described their concern about people being relocated up to County Durham and confirmed they are collecting evidence on the issue.

Cllr James Rowlandson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for resources, investment and assets, said: "Whilst we are not aware of any evidence that outlines how many people have been moved to Ferryhill, we are aware London councils have offered their residents private tenancies in other parts of the country, including in the North East.

"It is difficult for us to determine the exact number of people who have been moved to County Durham, or a certain area within the county, as in most cases we only become aware that people have been relocated to our area when we’re approached by councillors, local charities, members of the community or the families themselves, seeking support and assistance.

"We will always ensure that residents are provided with the right support once they arrive in County Durham. However, this practice does put additional strain on council resources and local community services and we will continue to work with London Councils and partners to raise this issue."

A London Councils spokesperson said: “Boroughs make every effort to find accommodation for homeless households as close as possible to their community.

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“Out-of-London placements are only made as a last resort when no suitable local options are available – or to support homeless families when they have a preference for relocating outside the capital. The vast majority of these placements are made in local authority areas just outside London, and boroughs aim to provide the wider support with settling that residents may require.

“One in 50 Londoners is currently homeless and living in temporary accommodation, including one in every 21 children in the capital. London’s chronic shortage of affordable housing and high rates of homelessness mean that boroughs face extreme challenges in finding accommodation for homeless Londoners. We recognise the detrimental impact this has on households, especially families with children, and the impact on housing in other parts of the country.

“London boroughs are as committed as ever to working with our fellow councils and with the government to tackle these issues and end homelessness altogether.”