A CASH boost aims to secure rough sleepers in Stratford district with accommodation.
The Next Steps Accommodation Programme (NSAP) invited local authorities to bid for cash to be used for short and long term solutions for rough sleepers accommodated in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The ‘Everyone in’ initiative, launched by the government in April, asked authorities to provide emergency housing for all rough sleepers in the area.
Since the scheme, the government has made a financial commitment to ensure those supported are not forced to return to the streets.
For the short term support element of the NSAP bid, the district council was awarded £180,000 to assist with the funding of emergency accommodation for rough sleepers between July 2020 and March 2021.
For the longer term element, it received over £380,000 to assist with the provision of settled accommodation and support rough sleepers by March 2021.
The authority was also awarded £10,000 ‘Cold Weather Funding’ to fund emergency accommodation over the winter months.
Coun Jo Barker said: “I am pleased the district council has been successful with these bids because it means we are now able to work proactively with this cohort to assist them now and in the future.
“The impact of the pandemic on the council’s finances has been extremely challenging, at the same as the government asked local authorities to provide emergency accommodation to all rough sleepers under its ‘Everyone in’ initiative. The award of this additional funding enables the district council to continue its good work with those accommodated during ‘Everyone in’ and will help us as we continue to work towards our target of eradicating rough sleeping in our district.”
