Cornwall Launches Rough Sleepers Reduction Strategy
Cornwall launches Rough Sleepers Reduction Strategy to help those already living on the streets and also those who find themselves in danger of becoming a rough sleeper.
Cornwall has seen the number of people recorded as sleeping rough peak at 99 when a count took place in November 2016 – one of the highest numbers in the country.
Earlier this year, the Council and Cornwall Housing allocated £850,000 to developing a strategy to tackle the issue with a further £282,000 coming from a successful bid to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) specifically for an initiative called Nos Da Kernow (No First Night Out).
The Cornwall Rough Sleeper Strategy has been put together and will be delivered by partners including the Council (including Children, Families & Adults and other Services), Cornwall Housing Ltd, Coastline Housing, Voluntary Sector Providers, Safer Cornwall, the Drug and Alcohol Action Team, Devon & Cornwall Police, Public Health (including Mental Health Services) and Inclusion Cornwall.
The Strategy has three strands: –
- help for those who are in danger of becoming rough sleepers;
- help new rough sleepers quickly so that they do not become used to and resigned to that lifestyle;
- identify and provide support for entrenched rough sleepers to help them off the streets once and for all.
The Council and its partners have been working on a number of initiatives since September last year to begin the process of reducing rough sleeping in Cornwall. Some of you will have seen the results of those initiatives first hand. We have seen a reduction in the number of people found sleeping rough on one night – decreasing from 99 individuals in November 2016 to 82 in May this year – but we still have a long way to go.
Members of the public who have concerns about a rough sleeper in their area should go to the Streetlink website or phone Streetlink on 0300 500 0914. The rough sleeper will be contacted by the Street Outreach Team within 24 hours and offered advice, assistance and support to find accommodation.
Useful Contacts St Petroc’s 0500 241952 or 01872 264153 or Shelter – 0344 515 2300