DISTRICT council chiefs are appealing to bed and breakfast establishments to consider providing temporary accommodation for homeless people.

A newspaper advert invites the businesses in and near the district to tender for an arrangement with Epping Forest District Council when it needs to place single vulnerable homeless people, and sometimes families, in temporary accommodation.

A council spokesman said@ "The purpose of the advert is to ensure a local bed and breakfast service is available at the lowest possible cost that meets the needs of homeless applicants where the council's own accommodation at Norway House (North Weald) and Hemnall House (Epping) is not suitable or available."

He added: "The district is fortunate in that the council is able to provide homeless person hostel accommodation directly. We also have arrangements with East Thames Housing Group and Swan Housing Association. Families are nearly always housed in this way. However there are times when we need to use independent bed and breakfast accommodation for short periods for single people."

Demand for such accommodation is falling because of a number of other homeless prevention measures being taken by the council.

The spokesman said: "We spend much more time with potentially homeless people to see how their problems can be resolved in other ways. Figures for June 2006 showed 31 single people housed in this way. By the time of the report to the cabinet in February 2007 this had fallen to 19 people.

"Currently there are around 12 people in temporary bed and breakfast. However it is never possible to be sure exactly how much demand there will be for bed and breakfast in the future.

"The aim of the advert is to canvass hotels that might be interested in submitting tenders for the cost of accommodation, should it be needed.

"Not only will the process give us information we need to be able to place people in the best location to meet their personal needs but also ensure we get the best possible price for accommodation on behalf of the taxpayer."Shortlisted establishments will be visited to ensure living conditions are satisfactory and that fire risk assessments have been undertaken and are valid, and that staff are available to take admissions, including during unsociable hours.

The closing date to express an interest is noon on Friday, May 4.