Regional plan to get homeless off streets

WEST Midland council bosses have pledged to get as many rough sleepers off the streets as possible this winter after drawing up an action plan aimed at making a lasting difference on homelessness.

The homelessness winter plan, headed up by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Homelessness Taskforce, will bring councils and agencies together to try to get people off the streets for good.

Support workers will target people in areas where rough sleepers are known to stay and help them access a place of safety.

Emergency accommodation will be made available on the coldest nights in a bid to ensure no one is sleeping on the streets in icy, sub-zero temperatures. It comes after it was revealed more than 20 homeless people died in Birmingham in 2020.

Rough sleepers will also be offered support with mental health or addiction problems in a bid to ensure they keep a roof over their heads.

They will also be able to access free bus tickets to ensure they can get to accommodation, while members of the public will also be encouraged to help by alerting authorities to rough sleepers they come across through the website StreetLink.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, who heads up the WMCA, said: “During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have consistently looked to reduce the number of people sleeping rough and ensure everyone in the West Midlands has a safe, secure, and warm place to stay. However, we know it is important to ramp up our efforts in winter.”

Cllr Sharon Thompson, cabinet member for vulnerable children and families at Birmingham City Council and chair of the WMCA Homelessness Taskforce Members Advisory Group, added: “Birmingham’s Street Intervention Team offers a unique multi-agency approach to addressing the issue of rough sleeping and begging and the council continues to work closely with other agencies to help protect those most in need.”