Five homeless pregnant women in the Stroud district had to be put up in a hotel or bed and breakfast over the last two years.

One woman had to spend 10 weeks in a B&B in 2016/17, while four were put up in a room for an average of 11 weeks in 2017/18, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

All of the women were eventually given longer-term housing by Stroud District Council, which made the bookings as an emergency.

A spokesperson explained: “Homeless legislation is mainly focused on protecting vulnerable households, including families with children or where a member of the household is pregnant, however we have a duty to all those who are homeless.

"Pregnant women are in the automatic priority need category so we always have a duty to ensure they have accommodation unless, for example, they were found to have intentionally made themselves homeless.

“The reasons for homelessness can be varied and complex – anyone who does not pay their rent although it was affordable, or if they gave up suitable accommodation without having anywhere else to move to, could be classed as intentionally homeless."

Revelation of the bookings comes as the council is considering buying a property for temporary accommodation so it no longer needs to resort to hotels for the homeless.

The council's housing committee has recommended buying and converting the former Salvation Army building on Acre Street in Stroud, which caught fire in 2017.

Chair of the committee councillor Chas Townley said: "Work on this project is at an early stage but I’m really pleased that we’re able to consider the re-use of the former Salvation Army building for temporary homes close to local services in the centre of Stroud which will help minimise the disruption to family life that homelessness inevitably brings.

"It will also help reduce the use of inappropriate and expensive out of district hotel and B&B accommodation which should avoided where possible."

Purchase of the building still requires sign off by another committee and all councillors, however.

Stroud News and Journal:

A picture of the Salvation Army building after the 2017 fire