COLCHESTER Council has set out its new strategy for combatting rough sleeping and homelessness across the borough.

The document sets out four key aims for the council and its partners between 2020 and 2025.

These are:

  •  Increasing access to accommodation and providing settled homes
  • Helping people sustain their accommodation
  • Improving the health and wellbeing of people who experience homelessness
  • Improving communication and challenging the perception and culture of homelessness.

Adam Fox, councillor responsible for housing, said: “This document is vital. This is one of the reasons why we exist - to represent people who need our help and support.

“But it is not just about the council, it is about a breadth of organisations. It is a partnership document and it is only through partnerships we can solve homelessness.”

A street count last November found 13 people were sleeping rough in Colchester, down from 20 the previous year.

The council say significant progress has been made in helping rough sleepers, thanks in part to £517,000 funding secured from the Government.

However homelessness is not just rough sleeping and the council must also tackle housing problems across the borough.

With more than 3,000 people on the housing register, there is much more which needs to be done.

Mr Fox said: “Colchester is building a lot of houses and people often wonder why people are still homeless, but the problem is affordability.

“The affordability factor is growing and there are lots of new houses people are struggling to afford.

“We are doing our bit in terms of building more council housing and bringing forward sites over the next five years which will see 350 built.”

Under its first aim the authority, with help from Colchester Borough Homes, is looking at alternative ways to provide settled accommodation for residents including influencing what kind of supported housing is being created.

An evaluation on how the Homelessness Reduction Act is working will take place, more is set to be done to prevent those suffering domestic abuse becoming homeless and the council wants to see more options for those moving on from supported housing.

Helping residents sustain accommodation is another key aim of the document.

Colchester Council plans to offer more tenancy support, debt and welfare advice, services to support young tenants and further advise on welfare and benefits.

The authority also hopes to combat social isolation in a bid to reduce the chance of homeless people reverting to their former lifestyle once housed.

To improve the health and wellbeing of homeless people the referral process to other services is set to be simplified.

More employment, volunteering and training opportunities will be offered and partnership work will help identify those at risk of exploitation or mental health issues.

Perceptions will be changed by educating the public on how they can help homeless people and the different between rough sleepers and street beggars and encouraging better information sharing between partner organisations.

Mr Fox said: “Homelessness is a national issue. Across the public sector cuts have really impacted people and it is not just us, it is mental health services and drugs and alcohol services.

“Those have a real impact on people sustaining a tenancy or once you are homeless getting back on your feet. In Colchester we are lucky as we have some have active voluntary groups and third sector groups who are passionate about helping. We know people are concerned about homelessness. We see people and organisations and services doing everything they can do to help.”

Colchester Council’s cabinet will discuss the plans at a meeting next Wednesday before making a recommendation to full-council.