UP TO 16 staff vacancies at Southampton's housing benefit office contributed to a 16-week backlog in benefit claims, it has emerged.

Now the City Council has agreed almost £200,000 funding to help fill those vacancies and reduce the number of outstanding claims.

As revealed in the Daily Echo in April, thousands of tenants across the city were faced with eviction from their homes after the 16-week backlog built up in the council-run housing benefits service.

New Liberal Democrat city council member for finance Cllr David Beckett has agreed the £198,000 set aside be previous finance member Cllr Peter Marsh-Jenks before the council election last month, in order to help reduce the delay.

But chairman Roger Bell of the Southern Private Landlords Association (SPLA), which represents 2,000 of the 26,000 rented properties in Southampton, was sceptical the money would make any real difference.

Mr Bell, from Pilley in the New Forest, who has seen a tenant of his move out because of the council backlog, said: "The proposal is very welcome indeed but we have had these promises before and they have been empty. I have little faith and I shall wait and see."

Delays in the housing benefit system developed following the introduction of a verification framework - a government initiative designed to detect fraud - and staff shortages exacerbated the problem.

Although delays have been a national problem, Southampton City Council has had the largest backlog in Hampshire.

At the end of March the city's housing benefits office had to close for two weeks to help reduce the then 16-week backlog.

Just prior to the council elections in May Cllr Beckett called in for review the decision by Cllr Marsh-Jenks to set aside the £198,000.

Now Cllr Beckett has agreed for the original decision to stand.

In a statement he said: "I called it in to give me time to talk to officers to ensure that I was happy with the decision, as this particular aspect had not been looked at. Having done so, whilst wishing to closely monitor the ongoing necessity for temp/agency staff, I have now withdrawn the call-in notice."Speaking after the original decision Cllr Marsh-Jenks said: "The council is committed to providing an excellent benefits service and staff are working hard to clear this backlog. A number of measures have been taken to address the issue including providing extra staff and enhancing the computer system.''

But Mr Bell would like to see someone go in and tackle the problem head on.

He said: "There are a number of people who would love to rent private or council property and they are being denied that right."

One of those who has been affected by the delay is 29-year-old Joshua Clark from Shirley.

Mr Clark, who has a daughter, has not received housing benefit for the last three months and has only just been told he will get an emergency payment after he was threatened with eviction.

Joshua, who has also not received his tax credit for ten weeks, said: "You can imagine the stress I've been under. My debts have been building up and then I have to think about surcharges.

"I don't expect to see any money for the next three weeks."