Rochdale Council set to receive £32k to support rough sleepers

The government has pledged £32,000 to help Rochdale Borough Council support rough sleepers.

The funding comes as part of an extra £4.3 million to help Greater Manchester authorities through the government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative, which is aimed at providing rough sleepers a place to stay, access to mental health or addiction services, and advice on securing permanent accommodation.

Rochdale will receive the smallest total of the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, with Salford Council receiving the most with almost a third of Greater Manchester’s allocation – £1.3 million.

Wigan Council and the combined authority will receive £728,086 and £715,900 respectively, whilst the city council will get £724,212 through the scheme.

Rochdale Borough Council has been contacted for comment.

A Bed Every Night, the regional scheme to get rough sleepers of the streets started by regional mayor Andy Burnham, is also likely to benefit from the funding.

Counts conducted by the combined authority report that the number of people sleeping rough in the city-region has fallen from 241 in November 2018 to 151 last year.

Mr Burnham could not be reached for comment on the government announcement.

In total local authorities across the UK received £112 million through the Rough Sleeping Initiative this year - a 30% increase on last year’s share.

The money will pay for up to 6,000 new bed spaces and 2,500 more support staff across the country, according to the government.

Robert Jenrick, secretary of state for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: “No-one should have to face a night on the street and we have a moral duty to support those who need help the most. 

“It is encouraging to see more people getting the support they need, but there is always more to do.”

Niall Griffiths, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Additional reporting: Rochdale Online