THE owners of a Canvey caravan park have received almost £8million in housing benefit, the Echo can reveal.

Castle Point Council paid £7.8million in housing benefit to cover the rent of vulnerable people living on Thorney Bay Village, Canvey, over the past five years.

In some years, taxpayers were funding almost all mobile homes on the site, which residents claim cost £60 per week to heat in the winter.

Dave Blackwell, leader of Canvey Island Independent Party, said: “Surely the council has a duty of care to make sure families receiving housing benefit are in accommodation fit for purpose.

“For five years, the council has been paying all this money, but has done nothing to investigate the site. We have been asking questions for two years. Why has it being hiding it?”

Bill Sharp, deputy leader of the council, added: “I have never been in a caravan in the park and therefore I have no knowledge as to whether they are suitable for all-year round living.

"I intend to go and with the permission of the owners ask to look at the units to see for myself.

"The council is purely a conduit for the money the claimant has been given.

“It is also clear there’s a shortage of housing across the country – this is being addressed by local plans each authority is being asked to consider.“

The council has admitted it never checked the caravans’ suitability for year-round living before it started paying over rent for 720 tenants in 2010. The park is believed to have about 900 caravans.

The authority insists it only administers the benefits system for the Government and has no duty of care to tenants.

Andrew Smith, the council’s strategic director, said: “The award of housing benefit is not aligned to the type and condition of the accommodation, no duty of care exists and the council administers the scheme on behalf of the Government.

“Accordingly, any statutory nuisance or landlord and tenant disputes are dealt with under separate legislation. The housing benefit regulations do not require the council to carry out inspections of the homes at Thorney Bay.”

Holly King, who runs the park, added: “Since 2010, Thorney Bay Park has helped Castle Point Council accommodate individuals and families who are on housing benefits.”

The council denies approaching the park owner for assistance with accommodation and has written to other local authorities in London and Essex, asking them not to place homeless people in the park.