PLANS to end rough sleeping in the Taunton and Minehead areas by 2027 have been unveiled to Somerset West and Taunton Council.

The authority is to review its accommodation requirements for homeless and rough sleeping provision.

It wants to evaluate resources and demand to ensure it can provide enough accommodation to work to end homelessness and rough sleeping in the district.

Executive members have approved a proposal to undertake an options appraisal and report back with recommendations.

They will seek a ‘hub’ solution, with support services close to residents, building on joined-up partnership working the council has established with various charities, organisations, churches, the police and voluntary and church groups.

The proposal sets out an ambition for a new voluntary responsibility to house a greater number of rough sleepers than the council has a statutory duty to accommodate.

It would approximately double the number of single homeless people 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 rough sleeping by 2027.

The approach would also ensure the council could provide enough accommodation to avoid returning to the streets rough sleepers taken in under the Government’s Everyone In Covid-19 directive.

Executive member for housing Cllr Fran Smith said: "SWT is committed to providing more housing options for all members of the community in line with our belief that fundamentally, no-one should be without a place they can call home.

"We want to ensure we have 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 circumstances.

"This appraisal gives us a chance to review our provision and build on our partnership working to make a real difference to the quality of life for some of our most vulnerable residents."