News Homelessness and rough sleepers survey
There are only a couple of weeks left to take part in the Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) Homelessness and Rough Sleepers survey which closes on 26 November.
The Council is asking for views on the priorities it should focus on over the next five years in relation to homelessness and rough sleepers, so it can take these into account when it develops a new plan.
The Homelessness Act 2002 requires local housing authorities in England to formulate and publish a strategy in response to an assessment of homelessness within their area. The introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act in April 2018 brought about significant change in the duties and powers available to a local housing authority.
Cllr Lottie Parfitt-Reid, Cabinet Member for Housing and Health at MBC said:
“We work really hard to help those people who are in most need in the borough, those who are homeless or sleeping rough. We are always looking at innovative ways to improve our services.“We would like to hear everyone’s views to help us develop our next five-year plan and let us know which are the key areas we should focus on in relation to people who find themselves homeless or sleeping rough.”
The MBC 2019 to 2024 Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy focused on the following priorities:
To Prevent Homelessness – to stop people from becoming homeless.
To Provide Accommodation – to those experiencing or facing homelessness.
To work alongside Vulnerable People - support those experiencing the crisis of homelessness.
To support Rough Sleepers away from the streets.
How you can get involved
Take part in the short survey now, before it closes on 26 November, it will only take around 4 to 8 minutes to complete: https://letstalkmaidstone.uk.engagementhq.com/homelessness-rough-sleepers-strategy
The results of the survey will be used to inform the new Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Strategy 2024-29. A draft of the new Strategy will be considered by the housing, Health & Environment Policy Advisory Committee on 12 December 2023.
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