North Norfolk to spend £600,000 on new homes for rough sleepers
North Norfolk District Council say there's high levels of homelessness that's likely to rise further
Last updated 18th Oct 2021
North Norfolk District Council have decided to spend £600,000 on temporary accommodation for homeless people.
The authority says they're be working with local businesses to create temporary homes more cost effective to local taxpayers.
While they will also be using the money to buy two units of temporary accommodation.
It's understood this project will be paid for by the authorities cash reserves.
The council currently has 12 homes used as temporary accommodation, while another home is being purchased and one being converted. Decisions that will be bring the overall total to fourteen.
Councillor Wendy Fredericks, who's in charge of housing told us that the old methods are no longer fit for purpose:
"The traditional way of giving temporary accommodation is bed and breakfast. The problem with that is most of these establishments won't have cooking facilities, they wont be the area that the people are originally from. That often means a loss of social network and a loss of jobs"
She also told that they're planning to make quick progress on this, that will particularly benefit families:
"By Christmas we should have 16 units of temporary accommodation. The last two are especially for large families. So families with three children, imagine putting them in a bed and breakfast, you've got to spread the children over different rooms. That's complete impractical and really not very safe".
Ms Fredericks said she fears the cutting of Universal Credit, will only increase the local need for this type of housing:
"We have 41 households in temporary accommodation at the moment. That's been growing year on year and unfortunately with the uplift to universal credit ending, along with Furlough and the rise in energy prices. We're looking at the possibly of more and more people being homeless".
"I really don't think they decision-makers have an idea of how normal, everyday people live. I run a local food larder on a Friday morning and its working families that we see. Only 1% of people that use food banks are unemployed. Universal Credit enables people to work and live well".
She concluded by saying that she's confident that decision will be a win-win for the local community:
"If somebody was in a bed and breakfast and they've got three children, we could be paying per week up to 730. The Government will only reimburse us 109 a week. So the North Norfolk taxpayer has to bridge the gap. I would rather spend our reserves on helping people and it will give us a return high than any savings plan".