Splashing out on therapy pool

Peterborough has seen an increase in the number of households that have been accepted as homeless by the council - a situation that sadly is being mirrored in many other towns and cities across the UK.

In 2015 the council was supporting approximately 100 households in temporary accommodation; families we owe a full housing duty to and must provide with a home.

That situation has dramatically changed over the past year and we are currently supporting more than 200 households in temporary accommodation.

The reasons behind it are complex and a mix of national and local pressures, but it is our responsibility to manage it and support those that we have a duty to.

With limited resources available to us we are faced with some very tough decisions when we determine how we accommodate those in need.

This was very much the case with the agreement to house homeless families at the properties on St Michael’s Gate, and we are also having to call on hotels and bed & breakfasts to ensure those people and families made homeless have a bed to sleep in.

Progress, though, is being made to tackle this issue, and the city council is proposing to lease 53 properties in Elizabeth Court in Park ward to provide additional temporary accommodation for homeless households.

Elizabeth Court was purchased by Cross Keys Homes last year and is currently empty with previous residents all happily rehoused elsewhere.

Our proposal is to lease the properties from Cross Keys for the next five years.

By using accommodation at Elizabeth Court, rather than hotels, for the equivalent number of homeless households, it’s estimated the council would save close to £800,000 per year. A re-fit of the properties would take place and we expect that all properties will be occupied by the summer.