Half a million pounds secured to help Peterborough rough sleepers this Christmas

Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow, has approved £1.75 million in funding to local councils to help tackle rough sleeping in the region, including a focus on giving people are route off the street by Christmas.

In total, £563,141 of that cash will be coming to Peterborough.

The move follows the Government’s August announcement of £442 million in funding via its Rough Sleeping Programme for councils and mayoral authorities across the country.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is set to receive more than £7.3 million through the programme by 2029, and the £563,000 is the first part of that funding for Peterborough.

The funding can be used by local authorities to meet immediate need, strengthen local prevention work, help people into longer-term settled accommodation, and provide intensive support for those who have experienced long-term rough sleeping.

The Mayor and Combined Authority will work in partnership with constituent councils and local charities. Funding allocations are informed by rough sleeping data for key areas across the county.

Mr Bristow said: “This funding will not only help change the lives of those being given somewhere to sleep but will also address key regional issues that lead to someone ending up in this position.

“As Mayor, I will be making sure we use this money where it will have the greatest impact across our region.

“The Government is right to back Mayors, councils and voluntary organisations to do this place-by-place, and I look forward to working with local leaders to shape and support schemes that focus on the people and communities that need it most.”

When the Government funding was announced, Cllr Shabina Qayyum, Leader of Peterborough City Council, said: “This has been a key priority for me locally - our council’s outreach teams work around the clock to engage people who are sleeping rough, as they often have complex support needs.

“I will be working to scrutinise the Combined Authority Mayor’s role in deciding how this vital funding is used, to ensure that we deliver a long-term impact by providing the lasting support that people coming off the streets need to rebuild their lives.”