Cabinet approves new housing schemes for Northampton’s rough sleepers

Councillors have approved a scheme which will see homes purchased and refurbished to be used as supportive housing for rough sleepers.
By James Averill
Published 22nd Dec 2020, 15:57 BST
Updated 22nd Dec 2020, 15:58 BST
The borough council was awarded government funding to help combat the growing number of rough sleepers in the town.The borough council was awarded government funding to help combat the growing number of rough sleepers in the town.
The borough council was awarded government funding to help combat the growing number of rough sleepers in the town.

The cabinet of Northampton Borough Council met last week (December 16) to approve how to use £2.68 million of Government funding it was awarded earlier this year to prevent homeless people returning to the streets after the COVID pandemic.

So far £101,400 of that sum has been spent on housing homeless people in halls of residence at the University of Northampton since March.

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Now the Conservative cabinet has given the green light to a £1.35 million scheme to purchase and refurbish 15 one-bedroom homes which will be managed by Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) and used by former rough sleepers as supported housing.

A further £464,000 has been made available for the cost of purchasing and refurbishing three five-bedroom Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). They will be managed by NAASH, a Northampton-based charity that specialises in managing shared housing for single homeless people. Tenants will be charged on social rent levels.

Cabinet member for housing, Councillor Stephen Hibbert, said: “This is a good news story. We’ve been successful in securing government funding to increase the supply of housing for rough sleepers.

“The scheme will operate through the Housing Revenues Account (HRA) and a local lettings policy will be in place on social rents.

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“The grant funding enables us to provide secure and private accommodation for rough sleepers in accordance with cross-party agreement to replace the Night Shelter and support female rough sleepers.”

The location of the developments was not publicly discussed, instead being discussed along with sensitive commercial details in a private cabinet session.

An additional £252,000 will enable Northampton Partnership Homes and NAASH to employ two full-time support officers for the developments for three years.

With the remaining government funding, a further £481,000 will enable Keystage Housing to establish a ‘Somewhere Safe to Stay’ Hub in Northampton. The 27-bedroom hub will be able to accommodate both men and women and will be staffed 24 hours a day.

And an extra £25,000 will help International Lighthouse CIC to continue working with non-UK nationals who are sleeping rough.

Related topics:Northampton