HOMELESS New Forest families are likely to spend about 80 weeks in hostel accommodation before being found homes of their own.

That is one of the stark facts which was facing councillors at the New Forest District Council cabinet meeting. The council has been taken to task by the Audit Commission following its annual inspection.

Top of the "key actions" required by the council is a reduction of the time spent by homeless households in temporary accommodation.

At the moment there are 5,400 people on New Forest District Council's housing waiting list.

Four families are currently in bed and breakfast accommodation. They can expect an average stay there of 37 days. There are 13 households in hostels and they face an average stay of 80 weeks.

The figures put the council in the bottom 25 per cent nationally.

The council is also in the bottom 25 per cent when it comes to priority homelessness cases - those who are pregnant, with dependant children, made homeless by fire or flood, aged under 17, under threat of violence or who are rated "vulnerable".

In addition, the council only delivered 38 new affordable homes in 2006/7 against its target of 75.

Housing strategy and development manager Lynne Croker said: "This year we are on 87, so we are improving performance."

Cllr Jill Cleary, who holds the council's housing portfolio, said: "We are reviewing our private sector leasing scheme and will be piloting a new scheme that we hope will be enlarged if it is successful.

"There are currently 5,400 names on the waiting list. Housing has always been a difficult issue and one that we cannot just magic away.

"It has always been and will remain a priority for the council and we are offering lease properties to those in difficulty and trying to take preventative measures.

"But in the current climate it is difficult. There is a lack of land and the housing in this part of the world is expensive. We cannot just build anywhere. We are improving but are being countered by the position we are in."