MORE than £1.6million of government money has been given to a local authority to tackle rough sleeping.

The cash for Blackburn with Darwen Council comes in two Whitehall grants.

The grants are revealed in report to the authority's executive board by its public health boss Damian Talbot.

It follows the council bringing back ten special pods to protect the borough's homeless in the grounds of Shadsworth Leisure Centre for the third year running under its our Severe Winter Emergency Provision (SWEP).

Cllr Talbot's Conservative counterpart Cllr Derek Hardman welcomed the grants.

Cllr Talbot's report says: "The government has announced details of successful bidders for local authorities applying for grants under two schemes: The Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) and Rough

Sleeper Accommodation Programme (RSAP).

"The council has been successful with both applications, and has been awarded £802,400 under the RSI scheme and £881,770 under the RSAP scheme which run to March 2025, and March 2024

respectively.

"In Blackburn with Darwen, we have a strong track record of preventing and supporting people away from rough sleeping.

"From 2018 to now, rough sleeping has reduced from an average of 26 individuals to 13 this summer, and with our SWEP offer up and running as of November 24 we are at nil, although the number changes daily.

"This is a significant achievement set against a challenging backdrop, not only in terms of the cost of living and long-term impact of austerity on our communities, but also with the over-supply of hostel and supported accommodation within the borough.

"Such properties have a high rate of eviction we have to respond to on a daily basis, as this type of accommodation is the lower end of the housing market for individuals that, for a range of reasons, struggle to maintain a tenancy. The risk of rough sleeping therefore is higher.

"We shall be funding our dedicated outreach team known as 'Navigators' using the RSI allocation.

"As a team they proactively engage with anyone rough sleeping or at imminent risk of doing so.

"We also have our own offer known as a Stepping Stones, a housing first model considered best practice nationally.

"The council has access to 30 properties funded through RSAP that are furnished and let on assured short-hold tenancies.

"We use these properties to support those with a long history of rough sleeping and who are from Blackburn with Darwen.".

Cllr Hardman said: "This is good news, Anything that gets people of the streets and gets them safe and secure is fantastic."