Council Leader issues winter homelessness warning
The Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council has warned that the homelessness crisis and costs of temporary accommodation continue to put local services at great risk.
While council officers have successfully reduced these numbers in recent months, the authority is still spending nearly £5 million every year on temporary accommodation - almost a third of the council's entire annual spending on local services.
Councillor Stephen Holt said:
"The council's work on homelessness is multi-faceted and we are fortunate to have a great team of officers doing all they can to address this most serious of social issues. However, there are currently 246 families in temporary accommodation in Eastbourne, and most are there because of the cost of living crisis, unaffordable mortgage and rent payments, and no-fault evictions.
"We repeatedly called on the previous government, and have repeated those calls to the new government, that all the councils dealing with these issues need urgent financial support and a strategy that will solve the homelessness crisis for good and allow us to return to a sustainable financial footing.
"Having been forced to make some incredibly painful decisions to reduce the 25/26 net budget by £7 million, the costs of temporary accommodation mean we will still need additional funding from the government to set a balanced budget."
Concerns about homelessness have been in sharp focus in recent weeks after the council activated the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) due to plunging temperatures and freezing overnight conditions.
Eastbourne Borough Council activates SWEP when temperatures are due to fall below zero and mobilises council officers to provide accommodation to anyone who is sleeping rough. Most recently, 30 people in this position were able to take advantage of the night shelter and services provided by The Salvation Army (pictured) in Langney Road.
Councillor Stephen Holt said:
"When most residents are safe at home during these exceptionally cold evenings, our council officers and the brilliant team at The Salvation Army, Matthew 25, and local churches and other partners work throughout the night and into the morning providing life-saving shelter.
"They are all doing an incredible job tackling an ongoing issue and deserve our sincere thanks for their dedicated service."
Major Ralph Walker, leader of The Salvation Army in Eastbourne, said:
"Shelter is a basic human need, and everyone should have the right to a proper home. At The Salvation Army in Eastbourne, we are committed to extending a hand of care and compassion and being there for everyone in need. Whether you're facing homelessness, struggling to feed your family, battling debt, overcoming addiction, or dealing with any other challenges, you are not alone. Together, we can find hope and a path forward."
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