'Eye-watering' legal fees for city council

STAFF SHORTAGES AND HOUSING CLAIMS BLAMED

- By DANIEL HOLLAND Local democracy reporter

A SEVERE staffing shortage and the poor state of council homes is costing Newcastle taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees.

Newcastle City Council bosses have revealed that a dramatic jump in claims over dilapidated housing and the authority's inability to recruit solicitors has led to “eye-watering” costs to hire outside legal support.

The council's legal department is expected to overrun its budget by almost £800,000 this year, according to a report presented to politicians yesterday (Tuesday).

That overspend is partly blamed on a “significant” rise in claims related to disrepair in council housing, which have risen from around 50 per year to as many as 80 in a single month, coinciding with a “severe problem” with recruitment.

The council took back control of around 25,000 properties from management organisation Your Homes Newcastle last year and has since been ordered by regulators to deal with “serious failings” in that housing stock - including damp and mould problems.