Keeping rough sleepers in South Tyneside safe during crisis

Town hall chiefs have been praised for their efforts to keep the homeless safe during the coronavirus lockdown.
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Bosses at South Tyneside Council have been making sure rough sleepers find accommodation since measures to combat the COVID-19 outbreak were unveiled.

And council chiefs have added they hope to carry on the work even after the government begins to ease restrictions.

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Councillor Mark Walsh, Lead Member for Housing and Transport, said: “The Council has successfully accommodated all the rough sleepers within South Tyneside by the government deadline and continues to respond to reports and presentations of rough sleepers as well as those at risk of sleeping rough.

There is concern for rough sleepers during the coronavirus pandemicThere is concern for rough sleepers during the coronavirus pandemic
There is concern for rough sleepers during the coronavirus pandemic

“We take a very proactive, early intervention approach to homelessness, and the frontline homelessness team, along with partners, are already looking into more sustainable accommodation following the relaxation or removal of lockdown.

“The Council will use the Rough Sleeper Initiative funding that the region was successful in accessing, to support those currently in temporary or emergency accommodation into appropriate move-on accommodation and support where needed.

“Each individual that approaches the homeless service is given a Personalised Housing Plan and we work with them to find long-term solutions.”

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In March, local authorities across the country were told to identify rough sleepers and ‘get everyone in’ and under a roof for the duration of the lockdown.

Since then the borough council has found accommodation for at least six people without their own homes.

Recognising the strain this would place on local authority finances, ministers an extra £1.6billion to cover increased costs, later doubled to £3.2 billion.

The efforts of regional leaders was acknowledged in a letter from the government’s homelessness chief, Dame Louise Casey, who called the response so far ‘humbling’.

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She said: “As of our last stock take, the number of people needing emergency support that had been in the thousands is now in the hundreds.

“More than 5,400 rough sleepers – over 90 per cent of those on the streets at the beginning of the crisis and known to local authorities – have been offered safe accommodation in just under a month, ensuring some of the most vulnerable people can stay safe during the pandemic.”

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