Swale council has completed the purchase of a house it plans to turn into a B&B.

The proposal to buy a property to provide emergency accommodation for the homeless was approved in February.

The purchase of a house in Sittingbourne, was completed on Friday at a cost of £160,000.

The local authority is now planning to make some improvements, including an additional toilet and some basic decorating, before opening it up to those in need across Swale.

The council has a legal duty to provide emergency accommodation to homeless families and it estimates the home will eventually bring savings of up to £19,000 as it has previously had to put them up in hotels.

At a council meeting on Wednesday, Cllr Mike Henderson (Lib Dem), asked for an update no the progress of the house.

He said: “I have waited months and months to hear something about this temporary housing in Sittingbourne.

“Supposedly it’s all going to happen but it’s taken an awfully long time and I would ask the cabinet member what is he planning to do about Faversham, which now has absolutely no help for anybody in serious housing needs.

“On occasions they are being pushed out to Medway which is seriously damaging kids at school, kids at nursery school, family contacts and their links to the community.

“We really need this and I think it would be wonderful considering this in Sheppey as well.”

Cllr John Wright (Con), cabinet member for housing, said: “I am sorry to say that it has taken a bit of time.

“This is actually the second house that we have actually put an offer in on.

“We actually went quite a way down securing the previous house only to find, when we did our due diligence, there was a pipe that could have been a problem and hence we had to start the process again.

“This was a pilot and we do actually need to have this up and running to actually check we are doing the right things.

“This is the first temporary accommodation that the council is going to be looking after. We will monitor it very carefully.

“If it pans out we certainly will consider the future of that operation.”