POWYS County Council's Housing department is hotly disputing bombshell claims made by a councillor at a scrutiny committee.

Cllr Phil Pritchard who represents the Castle ward in Welshpool made an emotional outburst at a meeting of the Health Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee.

He claimed that the Housing Department was trying to evict the daughters of Charlie Birch from their home in Welshpool.

Cllr James Evans, Cabinet Member for Housing has come out to defend the department disputing Cllr Pritchard's claims.

Charlie Birch, 39 was struck by a car as he walked along a road near Paphos in Cyprus in the early hours of June 24.

Cllr Pritchard, said: "People out there need to know how the work of one department can be undermined by another.

"The family of Charlie Birch have had a hell of a time, and all of a sudden the housing department are asking when they are going to empty the house."

Cllr Pritchard explained that Charlie Birch's daughters were attached to the house where they spent weekends with their father.

They would go to school on Monday mornings from his house and then go to their mother's home.

Cllr Pritchard, added: "Their grandmother is ready to move there and give up her bungalow, but has been told she can't do that as she's already adequately housed.

"We've had meetings, these are exceptional circumstances.

"The lack of understanding is diabolical."

Cllr Evans, said “The situation presented by the councillor during the scrutiny committee was not factually correct.

“Whilst I’m unable to provide detailed information about the circumstances of the case, I can confirm that the family is not facing eviction.

“An assessment of the family’s circumstances has been made by officers in accordance with the council’s policy.

"Since officers made that original decision, additional information has been presented to the council and the original decision is currently in the process of being reviewed.”

The trial of a 35-year-old man accused of the murder of Welshpool man Charlie Birch is set to take place in Paphos later this month.