SIX formerly homeless people are now living in comfortable flats of their own thanks to a project masterminded by Tameside Council’s homelessness team.
Thanks to funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Next Steps Accommodation Programme, and the help of Ashton Pioneer Homes, unused space in some of Ashton’s tower blocks has been converted into half-a-dozen apartments.
The people who have moved in were all previously rough sleepers assisted by the homelessness service. They are now receiving help from Adullam Homes’ floating support service to ensure they can budget effectively and with any other issues that may arise.
Cllr Ged Cooney, Tameside Council’s executive member with responsibility for the homeless, said: “The new flats, and the people who have moved into them, are fine examples of the way our homelessness team is working to get people into places of their own.
“Homelessness is a key priority for this authority and I’m proud of the progress we have made. I look forward to more flats becoming available so that more people can get a sense of security and put down roots.”
Working collaboratively across the statutory and not-for-profit sectors, Tameside witnessed a bigger percentage reduction in rough sleepers than any other authority in England in 2019-20 – a hugely impressive 86 per cent.
A rough sleeper count on July 9, 2020, found no one was sleeping rough in the borough for the first time in almost 10 years.
Since 2019, more than 300 people have been moved into private rented accommodation, supported schemes, advised about services or returned to their families.
