It was announced this week that Chelmsford has been successful in its bid to receive additional Government funding to help reduce rough sleeping.
£46 million will be shared between 246 local authorities across England in 20129/2020. Chelmsford will receive £180,000, shared with Braintree, Essex County Council, Epping Forest, and Maldon.
Across the country this funding will provide for over 750 new staff focused on rough sleeping. This will include more outreach workers to engage with people on the streets, specialist mental health and substance misuse workers and dedicated co-ordinators to drive efforts to reduce rough sleeping in their areas. It will also provide for over 2,650 new bed spaces including both emergency, temporary and settled accommodation.
In welcoming the announcement by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government about extra money for the Rough Sleeping Initiative fund Vicky Ford, the MP for Chelmsford said “I am pleased to see Chelmsford on the list of councils that will benefit from this additional funding. I know that many Chelmsford residents are concerned for the welfare of those sleeping rough on our streets.
Locally Chelmsford City Council and organisations such as CHESS, Helping Hands, Open Road and Sanctus make a real difference and have already helped a large number of individuals.
The extra money for Chelmsford is very welcome news and I know it will be put to good use to continue to build on the work we’ve done so far to help more people off the streets and into safe and secure accommodation”.
