A NEW strategy and funding to tackle homelessness in the borough has been given the go-ahead by councils chiefs.

The borough council’s cabinet approved on Wednesday last week a 12-month pilot scheme as changes in the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 mean an expanded legal duty for authorities.

New obligations from the act, coming into force in April, include councils must help households threatened with homelessness at an earlier stage and help the homeless secure accommodation for 56 days.

Test Valley Borough Council’s housing and environmental health portfolio holder, Councillor Phil Bundy, said: “The report sets out a range of measures that will contribute to the continuous improvement of our local homelessness service.

“This is in anticipation of the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 in April, which will represent a radical departure from the existing statutory framework, and will require the council to fundamentally change its approach to dealing with homelessness.

“The council is working hard to address homelessness in the local area but there is more that we must do.”

In 2016-2017 the council made 63 decisions on homelessness applications, accepting 43 as homeless.

More than 1,700 households approached the council for help in 2017, and 427 households were prevented from becoming homeless in early prevention work.

The borough council reported an official estimate of two rough sleepers in autumn 2017 but at the event, public speaker David Coole said: “Let us be honest and transparent about the homeless situation in Test Valley. Does anyone believe we only have two rough sleepers? Why don’t we have more accurate and up to date figures? How many people are currently homeless in Test Valley? What about all the sofa surfers, both young, middle aged and old?”

“With some two thousand households on the [housing] register and a further 1,700 seeking housing advice, Test Valley needs a minimum of 2,000 new affordable rental homes. The action plan should also include a review of temporary accommodation within Test Valley and the build of extra accommodation so that people do not have their lives disrupted by moving to out of area hostel/temporary accommodation.

“I recently helped a St Mary’s Ward resident facing eviction because her landlord had decided to sell the property. She was unable to find a private landlord that would accept her with housing benefit, she was facing eviction, the loss of her job and having to move with her two young children into a hostel in Slough, because the council could not provide any social housing or temporary accommodation in Andover. Clearly more can be done and must be done to help residents in this situation.”

The council will now use ring-fenced funding for a £15,000 prevention fund, £13,000 multi-agency fund, a £5,000 single homelessness fund and an upgrade of its IT system to meet legal requirements.

The council is also taking £15,000 out of its special projects reserve to enable the housing team to fund joint working with local agencies and invest in training needs across the pilot.

Councillor David Drew said: “I welcome this report, it is absolutely right to give as much support as possible for those who are about to become homeless and getting our residents back on track when they fall on bad times.”