Chichester council plans to boost short-term accommodation

More help for the homeless and a Christmas ice rink are in Chichester District Council's plans for 2024

A West Sussex council is planning to increase the amount of accommodation it has available as more families join its housing register.

Chichester District Council also said it will examine how it can introduce food waste recycling and bring an ice rink to the city for Christmas 2024.

The council's corporate plan for the coming year was approved by its full council on 23 January.

Over £3.6m has been set aside to fund the list of projects.

Council leader Adrian Moss said: "In 2022, we extended our short-stay accommodation with a brand-new purpose building which has made a huge difference, but we need to increase this further to meet demand.

"In the past six months alone, 115 households have joined our housing register, and we expect more people to come forward as a result of the cost of living crisis.

"Our council is spending a significant amount of money on nightly paid accommodation, so we are keen to look at ways that we can reduce this, while helping people access the appropriate accommodation that they need."

It is hoped the skating rink, planned for Priory Park, could attract visitors to the city during the winter.

The introduction of food waste recycling will involve buying new vehicles and bins and recruiting more staff throughout 2024 and 2025, with collections beginning in 2026.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].