We WILL help homeless
KIRKLEES AIMS TO EXTEND ACCESS TO HOUSING – AND END ROUGH SLEEPING
KIRKLEES Council has announced it has developed a plan to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping across the borough.
Dubbed the Kirklees Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, the council says it identifies the challenges and issues that people face, and sets out how it can make a change.
The strategy, which is due to be presented to full council on March 20, will look at preventing people from becoming homeless and ending rough sleeping.
If approved, it would build on the support the council already offers to those in need, such as housing and financial advice, clothing, food parcels and furniture.
Kirklees says it has worked with local groups and people affected by homelessness and rough sleeping to put the strategy in place.
It aims to help homeless people and rough sleepers develop skills, resilience and improvements to their health and wellbeing needed to live happier and more stable lives.
Key priorities include increasing the amount and range of safe, secure, affordable, accessible and sustainable housing, as well as ensuring the right level of tailored support is available to those in need.
Kirklees has identified strategies to end rough sleeping, including improving and extending emergency responses, dealing with the impacts of adverse weather conditions, getting people off the streets quicker and keeping them off.
Cabinet member for housing, Clr Cathy Scott, said: “We want Kirklees to be a place where no-one sleeps rough on our streets, where no-one is excluded, and where the support to prevent and end homelessness is available for everyone.
“Homelessness and rough sleeping are often complex issues, and with this strategy we can work on delivering a wide range of support to the most vulnerable in our com- munities and make a real difference to their lives.
“Housing, and having access to good housing, is crucial to people’s lives.
“As a council, we’re committed to making sure the right number of good, quality housing is available and affordable so no-one is left out in the cold.
“Ending homelessness and rough sleeping underpins everything we stand for at Kirklees Council – and we’ll do everything we can to support those that need our help.”