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A Plaid Cymru councillor is questioning whether Caerphilly County Borough Council is doing enough for people in emergency accommodation who are experiencing long waits.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed that, on average, single people and families are staying in “temporary” accommodation for 30 weeks.

Emergency and temporary accommodation includes hotels, bed and breakfasts, women’s refuges, hostels and private sector properties. The longest someone has been in this type of accommodation is more than two-and-a-half years.

Currently there are 198 individuals and 40 families – with a total of 24 children – staying in temporary accommodation in the borough.

Penyrheol councillor Steve Skivens, who is also a member of the social services scrutiny committee, described the information revealed in the FOI as “frankly shocking” and unacceptable.

Cllr Skivens said: “During the Covid-19 pandemic, Caerphilly Council made great efforts to find accommodation for homeless and vulnerable individuals and families.

“The intention is to hold people in temporary or emergency accommodation for a short period until alternative homes can be found and lives can be rebuilt on a permanent basis. Some six weeks to do so have been indicated by officers in the past as a suitable wait.

“This is clearly just not happening, which begs the question; are we doing our best to support vulnerable people?”

He added: “Often people placed into emergency or temporary accommodation are needy and appreciate the support. However, some do not have a good experience – being exposed to bullying, substance misuse, financial problems, depression and worse.

“We need to support these individuals and families and ensure our council safeguarding links with other departments’ work to reduce the time people spend in temporary or emergency accommodation before we have tragedies.”

Cabinet member for Housing, Cllr Shayne Cook, said it was “regrettable” that some residents are waiting in emergency accommodation.

Cllr Cook added: “This is down to the need to identify an appropriate property that will suit an individual’s need. Unfortunately, due to a range of issues, it’s not always possible to find these permanent properties quickly.”

Leader of the Plaid Cymru group, Cllr Lindsay Whittle, said: “As a former housing manager I can say three years is way too long for any person to be in a temporary homeless hotel. Surely, a vacancy occurred in that time and what was the cost to keep an individual or family so long?”

Labour councillor Cook said: “The council is continuing to work hard to house and support our most vulnerable residents all within the backdrop of a national housing and cost of living crisis.

“It seems the opposition is playing to the gallery to score political points, while in reality their councillors object to much needed homeless accommodation and the building of permanent affordable housing on the former Caerphilly Police Station.

“Whereas I’m focusing the council’s efforts on increasing the supply of suitable long term accommodation; this includes delivery of our ambitious new council house building programme and working with private sector landlords, particularly owners of empty properties, to find more permanent housing solutions for those residing in emergency housing.”