FIFE COUNCIL have been urged to take action after "desperate" West Fifers are told there is no temporary housing for them.

West Fife councillor David Barratt says he has been contacted by constituents who have been turned away by the local authority when needing a roof over their head.

Councillor Barratt, who represents Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, said: “I have found myself shocked by phone calls from desperate constituents telling me the council has turned them away.

"I know we have a legal duty to house people in these circumstances, so initially I thought it must just be a mistake, but on further investigation and after repeated instances, this is happening more and more.

"I have spoken to colleagues, and I know this is happening across Fife.

"I have spoken to the council’s housing service, who have confirmed that they are breaching their statutory duty. As a result of the service being under significant pressure and relying more heavily on hotels and B&Bs, the council has been vulnerable to premises being fully booked or refusing to accept homeless individuals or families from Fife Council.

"While it is disgraceful that any establishment would refuse to help individuals in crisis, Fife Council must act to remedy this situation.”

Local authorities have a legal duty to help those who are or are threatened with homelessness by giving information, advice and offering the individual temporary or permanent accommodation.

SNP housing spokesperson, Councillor Lesley Backhouse, has urged action. She said: "It is simply not an acceptable position to be in that the council are turning vulnerable individuals away. If B&Bs won’t accept bookings from Fife Council, then let’s get the money directly into people’s hands to allow them to book themselves accommodation.

"In the longer term, we need to keep building and buying back council housing, but in the short term, and especially in the context of colder nights and a cost-of-living crisis, we need immediate action so that we don’t turn people away in their hour of need."

Fife Council leader David Ross said: “The council is under extreme pressure to meet housing needs with the number of households using the service reaching unprecedented levels. Since the first COVID lockdown, we've seen a steady increase in the numbers of families and children looking for temporary accommodation, which brings its own challenges.

"The council is also responding to a significant legal decision which has severely affected the numbers of temporary accommodation available in the short term.

"We are adding around 300 additional units of temporary accommodation from our own stock, partners' stock and private rented accommodation.

"Working with partners and neighbouring local authorities, we are putting new solutions in place, including property acquisitions, but it is a very challenging situation.

"We are monitoring the situation very closely and officers are working to put solutions in place on a daily basis and doing all we can to support people who urgently need our help.”