Theresa May to announce special homelessness fund for Manchester
ÂŁ3.8 million is being set aside to help tackle the problem of rough sleeping.
The Prime Minister is expected to announce a special fund to tackle Greater Manchester's homelessness problem when she visits the North West later
Theresa May will meet with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham this afternoon, where they will outline details of a new ÂŁ3.8million fund called the "Greater Manchester Homelessness Prevention Trailblazer".
The initiative comes after Andy Burnham recently announced a ten year plan to end homelessness in Greater Manchester.
The Department for Communities and Local Government and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority will work closely together on the project, creating common systems, approaches and standards across the area in the coming months.
Mrs May said: “This is an important fund which builds on the government’s commitment to tackling homelessness. While our £50 million Homelessness Prevention Programme is central to our work in this area, this specific fund will increase a more joined up approach to tackling the issue across Greater Manchester and we will work closely together to deliver it.”
During the meeting, there will also be discussions around the integration of health and social care, regional investment and housing.
The Prime Minister is expected to reveal that Greater Manchester is on course to become one of first places in the country to agree an ambitious new housing deal with the Government, which would help build thousands of new homes. The deal could include new funding for council housing and unlock the housing potential of local transport infrastructure.
The "Greater Manchester Housing Deal" is expected to be fully agreed early in 2018 and follows on from a similar deal announced in Leeds, to deal with the increased demand for housing.
The Prime Minister added: “The Northern Powerhouse is at the core of our work to spread growth across the entire country. Over the past few weeks we have demonstrated how important this agenda is with announcements such as the £400 million boost for northern transport, ensuring we maximise the economic opportunity from HS2 and invest in transport improvements across the whole of the North.”
Theresa May will also visit staff at a hospital in Liverpool to discuss plans to boost organ donation and she will attend a ceremony which will unveil a tribute by Police Memorial Trust PC David Phillips of Merseyside Police.