REDBRIDGE Council has come under fire for moving 200 families to Kent and depriving the local authority of much-needed housing.

The 208 homes at Howe Barracks in Canterbury used to be reserved for army staff before the Ministry of Defence put them up for lease in late 2015.

But despite a “robust and comprehensive” bid by Canterbury City Council, to secure the homes for people on its housing list, Redbridge managed to bag the lease from 60 miles away.

Canterbury City Council’s leader Simon Cook said: “The idea that a London borough can solve some of its housing problems by moving people miles away from friends and family in this way is very regrettable.

“The law does allow councils to place people in districts outside of their own, but of course this severely restricts the ability of the councils in those other areas to provide adequate and affordable housing for their own local people.

“We will be pushing the Local Government Association (LGA) for a change in legislation on this issue.”

Cllr Cook said Redbridge had managed to win the fight for the lease because, as a London Borough, it has far more money to spend on housing than an authority like Canterbury.

He added: “We tried our utmost to get these properties for people on our waiting list because it would have made such a difference to so many local families.

“But now we will monitor this to make sure Redbridge follow due process and take action if they fail to do so.”

The councillor also expressed fears the families from Redbridge would put pressure on already-strained infrastructure like schools and doctors surgeries.

Redbridge Council leader Jas Athwal has repeatedly stressed the need to find housing for the increasing number of people moving to the borough.

The Redbridge Local Plan, which will determine the scale of development for the next 15 years, is due to be discussed at a neighbourhoods service committee tonight (Thursday May 26).

A Redbridge Council spokesman said the Redbridge families would only be staying in Kent temporarily.

He said: “Where we have a statutory duty to place a homeless household we try to secure suitable temporary accommodation in the borough, however, we can only do this if we have local accommodation available.

“We are continually seeking such suitable accommodation and Canterbury is one of the options available to the families we have currently living in B&Bs.

“Like all London boroughs, we urgently need to address the affordable housing crisis and it will be top of the agenda in future discussions with the new Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.”