A dramatic fall in the number of homeless families staying in temporary B&B accommodation in Reading is expected to save the council around £1.35m.

There were just five families staying in B&Bs at the end of October, down from 104 in March 2017.

The number of families in B&B accommodation is now it at its lowest point in the last five years.

Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) spending peaked at £1.59 million in 2016/17.

The council saved £300,000 in 2017/18 and is on target to save more than £600,000 in this financial year. A further £450,000 saving was agreed for the next two years.

The council attributes the huge reduction to a focus on prevention and the provision of more temporary accommodation.

A temporary housing development in Lowfield Road, Caversham Park, has helped to bring down numbers staying in B&B accommodation, with the first families moving in at the beginning of the year.

Councillor John Ennis, lead member for housing, called the reductions a huge achievement.

He said: “The council and its partners have worked extremely hard to tackle this serious problem which affected many families and was a huge cost to the council.

“Homelessness, rough sleeping and lack of affordable housing continue to be major issues in Reading and the council is committed to tackling them in a variety of innovative ways.”