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Press Release

5 February 2020

Further help for rough sleepers in Fareham

Fareham Borough Council has been successful in a bid to help tackle the issue of rough sleeping in Fareham. The Council has been awarded £141,450 for the year 2020/21.

In 2019 the Council secured short-term funding to increase the Outreach Service in Fareham which is provided by the Council’s partner, Two Saints. As a result, Two Saints were able to employ two Outreach Workers who, between them, are the equivalent of around 1.5 full time employees, and complement the service already provided in Fareham and Gosport. These posts have made a significant difference to the level of support provided to rough sleepers and have been key in helping some of them make a move into more permanent homes.

As a result of this good work, and in partnership with Two Saints, Gosport Borough Council and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the Council has successfully secured funding of £141,450 for the next year.

The money will enable the excellent work of the Outreach Service to continue and fund two further posts, enabling Two Saints to provide an enhanced service. The new posts will focus particularly on helping those leaving prison and with complex needs such as substance misuse issues, mental health needs and behavioural challenges, to find and maintain suitable accommodation.

The funding comes at a time when the Council has introduced security guards to tackle anti-social behaviour in Fareham. The security team carries leaflets to hand out to rough sleepers that provides information for them about where they can go to get help. This approach has worked well in other areas and the early indications are that this is a positive move for Fareham. Anti-social behaviour is already decreasing whilst rough sleepers are engaging more with the services that are there to help them.

Cllr Trevor Cartwright, Executive Member for Health and Public Protection said: ‘This funding is really good news for Fareham and will enable us to build on the good work we have already seen, particularly in Fareham Town Centre. It is important to take the time to understand the range of issues that has brought someone to sleep rough so that we can try to provide the most appropriate help for them.’

Fareham Borough Council works with a number of agencies to help those sleeping rough in the Borough under the umbrella of Fareham Street Aid. Visit www.farehamstreetaid.org.uk to find out more.

ENDS