A £2m hostel is homeless option
A NEW £2m purpose-built hostel for the homeless in Bridgend county is one of several options being considered to look after the rising numbers of people requiring emergency accommodation.
Brynmenyn Hostel, which is an old converted council office in Bridgend town centre, is owned by Bridgend Council and managed by the homeless charity the Wallich.
Councillors say the service offered by the charity is “fantastic” but the building itself is “past its best” and plans need to be made for its replacement.
A report by officers on the state of the hostel, which is currently shut for emergency repairs due to subsidence concerns, says it is “shabby and psychologically uninviting for people who are in a vulnerable and stressful state”.
It states that the shared bathroom and kitchen fa- cilities limit privacy, it has little outdoor space and it is not conducive to a supportive and positive environment for children and families.
Four options are being considered by the council. They include keeping the hostel at the same location; building a new one; converting another council building into a hostel or scrapping the hostel in place of a new model of dispersed accommodation.
Speaking at a council meeting on the issue, cabinet member for future generations and wellbeing Dhanisha Patel said: “The premises are out of date.
“If I was homeless and turned up there, I would feel at rock bottom when I entered that building. I would like people to have a better and more welcom- ing place to end up.”
Councillor Matthew Voisey (Conservative) said that while the facility was functional it could not be described as leading edge or desirable.
He said: “We should be aiming for a completely new purpose-built facility that takes into account all the most modern requirements and the needs of the users.
“I appreciate there is a financial point but in my mind this is something that would be worthy of a capital investment.”
The officers’ report on the issue says that over the last few years the reduction in use of bed and breakfast accommodation, which is no longer deemed suitable for families, has led to a 70% increase in the use of hostel and emergency accommodation.
It adds: “Research suggests that the estimated average cost of a homeless person per year is £26,000, when you take into account the costs of convictions, accessing A&E, support needs, policing etc.
“Therefore any preventative actions and support that can be put in place will help mitigate those circumstances and potentially reduce the overall cost to public resources.”
The hostel provides 16 accommodation units and is used for families as well as for single homeless people.
Other hostels in Bridgend include Cornerstone House, which provides six accommodation units and emergency bed space, and Ty Ogwr with 16 units.
Councillors on the subject overview and scrutiny committee, which was held on April 19, said no option should be left off the table as officers look to provide a detailed analysis of financial costs, availability and suitability.