Telford & Wrekin Council strategy to tackle homelessness set to get cabinet approval
Telford & Wrekin Council is set to approve a package of measures designed to reduce, prevent and ultimately eliminate homelessness in the borough.
A revised Homelessness Strategy to cover the next five years will see the existing rough sleeping project extended to run all year round in partnership with Maninplace.
Funding Has also been approved for 12 months for two new posts to provide a prevention role in the council’s Housing team to target support at preventing domestic violence and youth homelessness.
Additional one off funding of £95,000 on top of the existing Homelessness Prevention budget has been approved to boost the initiative to reduce homelessness has been approved for the next 12 months.
Councillor Richard Overton, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Housing, said: “Rough sleeping is inherently dangerous and exposes people to potential health deterioration.
“We have a statutory duty to review and update our Homelessness Strategy every five years so we carried out a review of our current homelessness situation including trends and needs.
“Consultation has been carried out with a wide range of stakeholders. As a result, the strategy sets out a range of measures for tackling homelessness including the provision of positive interventions and promoting the inclusion of all disadvantaged groups.”
Alan Olver, managing director of homelessness charity Maninplace, said: “We are pleased to have this opportunity to extend the current homelessness service to 365 days a year in order to prevent the only option that is open to some people– which is rough sleeping.”
The Strategy is recommended for approval by Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet on June 29.
