Councillors have blamed an influx of asylum seekers for an overspend of £18,500 in their housing budget.

They are furious that taxpayers cash in Arun is being spent on asylum seekers and families coming down from London who claim they are homeless. Members of Arun District Council have now written to the Government to express their concern at the lack of resources to fund the increasing problem of homelessness.

The number of homeless families seeking accommodation in Arun has seen the council coughing up £21,200, £18,500 more than the budget limit of £2,700. The extra cash to cover the overspend was taken from the council's Rent Deposit Scheme budget but councillors are worried about the future.

Borough councils in London have been advising homeless people to travel to the coast to seek accommodation and there has also been a rise in the number of families in Arun who were deemed to be internationally homeless and asylum seekers.

Councillor Richard Dickinson, chairman of the housing and community services committee said: "It isn't fair for the rest of the Arun ratepayers to have this extra expense.

"Asylum seekers are an area of concern across the south coast. It was mainly in the Kent and Dover area to start with but now it has spilled over and is causing a problem in Arun.

"It is an area of serious concern and one which needs to be looked at closely. It's not only the huge amount of money which is a matter of concern but also that it is stopping the money being used in other vital areas."

He said the council was being forced to use money it had set aside for a rent deposit scheme aimed at helping those unable to get a deposit together for for bed and breakfast accommodation.

Coun Dickinson added: "A number of London Boroughs are sending their clients down to the south coast. They contact the tourist information offices to find out about the bed and breakfasts and then send people down.

"Accommodation is filling up quickly which is causing more problems for Arun. We have written to the Government minister to express our concern. Something has to be done to resolve this situation. It cannot continue like this. We do not have the resources for this increase in the numbers of homeless people."

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