More than 1,000 households have dropped off the Powys housing register over a three-month period, a report has revealed.

At a joint meeting of all three Powys County Council scrutiny committees on Friday, March 14 councillors and lay committee members discussed the authority’s performance during the third quarter of 2024/2025 from October to the end of December.

They looked at the council’s Corporate and Strategic Equality Plan Scorecard, which evaluates performance against its own expectations against three council objectives.

The report shows that the number of households registered with “Homes in Powys” had dropped from 4,438 at the end of September, to 3,375 at the end of December.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Raiff Devlin said: “This reduction of 1,063 is surprising.

“We only built, acquired or brought back into use 35 houses in the previous year and are only on track for 26 this year – where does that reduction come from and where have those people gone?”

Plaid Cymru’s Cllr Gary Mitchell added: “1,000 is staggering - it’s a big shift when we haven’t built many homes, and the private rented sector just isn’t there.

“Is the list just not working?”

Deputy council leader and cabinet member for housing, Labour’s Cllr Matthew Dorrance said: “The list has reduced because of the proactive approach taken by housing officers to identify all options.

“In taking that response there is regular contact with people on the housing waiting list to ensure that we are reaching those in need.

“Some people may find other housing options, leave the register because they go into the private rented sector, or their circumstances have changed.

“Of the people on that list, about 50 per cent have been identified as in housing need.”

Cllr Dorrance explained that Powys has an “open housing register” which means that anyone can join it.

He believed that a “closed list” would show more accurate figures of housing need and “enable” the council to manage the need down.

Cllr Dorrance added: “What we want to do is create opportunities for every person to have a secure home.”