AN emergency hostel set up to keep rough sleepers safe during the Covid pandemic will be continued to be used for the purpose for a further year.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has extended its contract to use student accommodation at Canonsgrove to house homeless people until March 2023.

The continued use of the Bridgwater and Taunton College premises - previously used as a police training centre - was among options considered during a review of accommodation needs for single homeless people and rough sleepers in the district.

The extension agreed by SWT's executive this week will give the council time to identify and deliver new additional accommodation supply close to all amenities.

Councillors acknowledged concerns expressed by Trull Parish Council and some members of the community regarding the continued use of Canonsgrove for homeless provision in their area and the need for better engagement between the two authorities as local people. It was agreed to build stronger two-way communications and engagement bewteen the parties.

SWT’s housing team will work with homelessness providers and support agencies to deliver other accommodation options tested against the draft Single Homeless Accommodation Strategy.

Progress in identifying alternative provision will be reported back to SWT's scrutiny committee and full council within six months.

Further work is also taking place to consider future provision for homeless families.

The executive is supporting a draft Single Homeless Accommodation Strategy which sets out the council’s vision and objectives to end rough sleeping in the district by 2027.

The proposed strategy sets out an ambition to adopt a voluntary responsibility to house more rough sleepers than the council has a statutory duty to accommodate.

That would significantly increase the number of single homeless which SWT is seeking to accommodate directly or through partners, and is a big step towards helping meet the government’s objective to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and end it by 2027.

Executive member for housing Cllr Fran Smith said: “SWT is committed to providing more housing options for all members of the community.

"This includes having the right provision in place to prevent homelessness whenever we can and to help people faced with homelessness and sleeping rough to access suitable accommodation with extra support tailored to individual needs.

Cllr Fran Smith

Cllr Fran Smith

"The success of our future accommodation proposals and our ultimate aim to end rough sleeping in the district will require continued strong partnership working with our accommodation providers as well as the wide range of support services we work with.

“I hope our proposed solutions will be welcomed by the community and all those working to provide accommodation and support to our homeless and rough sleeping population.”