Somerset County Council to cut £900k from its homeless programme

Somerset County Council has voted to cut the funding it provides for supported housing for homeless adults and ex-offenders from next April

Housing support for homeless adults and ex-offenders is to be stopped by Somerset County Council, despite fears it will put more people on the streets.

The county council has voted to cut almost £900,000 from its homeless programme from next April.

Councillor William Wallace said some £309,000 had been put into a pot to help "mitigate" the impact.

But Samantha Waterton, from Langley House Trust, said there was a "high risk" people would be made homeless.

Langley House Trust, under contract from the county council, currently looks after 19 ex-offenders in its hostel and 11 in the community.

But with its funding stopped, Ms Waterton said it could "no longer provide that service".

"If we're not able to find alternative accommodation before the 30 April - we'll have to take them to the council offices to ask them to re-house," she said.

"So there's a high risk that some people will be made homeless through these cuts."

Taunton Association for the Homeless (TAH) is another contract provider which has seen its adult homeless service funding "cut by 100%".

"The reality of it is we will not be able to support people who are in the community to prevent them becoming homeless," said Justin Roxburgh.

'No legal responsibility'

But the county council said it has no legal responsibility to provide "this support" for ex-offenders or those at risk of homelessness.

"We understand its value, but the county council is not funded for this support or required to provide it," said Mr Wallace.

"Substantial savings needed to be found in this area for the coming financial year and we will still be spending around £1.52m on housing related services."

A final decision will be made next February, when the county council votes through its budget.