'˜More cash is needed for homelessness'

Some Fareham councillors in Fareham want more cash to be spent to help the homeless Picture: Ken Abbott

THOUSANDS of pounds of public money should be spent on funding an outreach worker to combat homelessness in a town, say councillors.

The Liberal Democrat group on Fareham Borough Council is pushing for the local authority to dedicate £9,000 a year to fund a worker from homelessness charity Two Saints.

They would work with and seek to provide support to those sleeping rough and needing help in Fareham’s town centre.

Councillors Roger Price, the group’s leader, and Shaun Cunningham addressed the council’s executive at a meeting where they said more needed to be done in order to tackle ‘a growing number’ of rough sleepers.

Two Saints funds one outreach worker in Fareham and Gosport for one day a week, but the Lib Dems would want this increased in Fareham for an extra day.

Councillor Price said: ‘The Two Saints worker already works with the homeless for one day a week in Fareham and by us funding a second day, this would be a major step forward.’

Councillor Sean Woodward, the council’s leader questioned the desire for one specific charity to be allocated extra funds.

He said: ‘Two Saints is not the only group that deals with homeless people, and there are people who come to Fareham and pose as homeless people as they know people here give generously, so it is always difficult to know what the right figure is.’

He added that he had ‘great sympathy’ for people that become homeless but pointed to the council spending £364,700 on tackling homelessness each year.