COUNCIL chiefs are set to approve a five-year homelessness and rough sleeping strategy for the borough.

The cabinet is recommended to approve the plan, which will run from 2020 to 2025, at its Town Hall meeting on Monday.

It has been informed by the homelessness review, with four strategic priorities identified.

They comprise prevention and relief of homelessness, accommodation, support and rough sleeping.

The document highlights the need to ‘move away from a crisis driven approach to earlier intervention’.

In her report, Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, portfolio holder for housing, public health and wellbeing, said: “Homelessness is increasing nationally with insufficient social housing built over a number of decades to replace those lost through Right to Buy and, locally, this is exacerbated by Warrington’s economic success.

“The strategy sets out a vision ‘working together to end homelessness in Warrington’.

“We recognise that for people who are homeless this ambition can feel a long way off.

“This strategy provides the initial five-year roadmap for our partners to work together to provide an effective collaborative approach.

“It is critical that we make the best use of finite resources with outcomes that provide long-term sustainable solutions to meet the challenges being faced.”

Local authorities are legally required to publish a homelessness strategy.