Council receives £590k to tackle homelessness

The money will help fund five new members of staff

A homeless charity is to extend its opening hours thanks to part of a £590,000 funding boost.

Middlesbrough Council said it would use some of the government money to help the town's Depaul UK hire five new members of staff.

The workers will help run the Positive Pathway drop in centre which provides a safe space for people sleeping rough who are welcomed with "tea and toast" and offered support to help them off the streets.

Dan Dumoulin, Depaul's director of development, said the hub currently opened twice a week, but the funding boost would mean it would open more regularly.

He said: "We really focus on helping people address the issues that have lead to them sleeping rough.

"It's not unusual for us to have 20 people come in.

"Middlesbrough is a large town but to have that many people sleeping rough every night is a real problem."

The team works closely with the council housing team to arrange substance abuse support and mental health help.

'Incredibly challenging'

The new funding will pay for the extra staff until 2027.

Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said providing meaningful support for homeless people was "incredibly challenging".

He said: "Our homelessness team and partner agencies deal with some of the most vulnerable people in society and if we can support them to turn their lives around the whole town feels the benefit.

"This extra funding will allow us to do more targeted and personalised work that gives us a better chance of results."