Extra accommodation for homeless in Cheltenham and Gloucester

Emergency accommodation for homeless people is to be provided in Cheltenham for the first time.

Gloucestershire County Council said it was unfair that the only provision for the whole county was a unit on Southgate Street in Gloucester.

The Gear project on Southgate Street has 21 beds and a health clinic.

The council will spend £1.5m on providing six emergency beds in Cheltenham and eight in Gloucester over five years.

David Wallace, from Cheltenham YMCA, said there was a demand for emergency beds in the town.

"We've seen a massive increase over recent years of young people - even schoolgoers - looking for accommodation because of family breakup and things like that.

"At any one time we try not to take too many but we've had 25 sixteen to 17-year-olds at any one time."

Paul McLain, cabinet member for vulnerable families, said they should now have enough beds to cope.