Slight drop in the number of people sleeping rough in Middlesbrough
The council took part in its annual rough sleeper count
There’s been a slight drop in the number of people sleeping rough in Middlesbrough, according to the latest council count.
The authority undertook its annual rough sleeper count on the morning of the 12th of November this year and results showed that while fewer people were found to be sleeping rough in “key areas” compared to the previous year, numbers were up on 2023.
Four teams of three people covered four “key areas” across Middlesbrough. Areas known to have a “high concentration” of people sleeping rough were chosen for the measurement – these locations had also featured as part of previous annual counts to enable an accurate year-on-year comparison. Documents add: “No other areas were covered as there had been no recent reports of rough sleeping from our weekly sweeps.”
During the count, 23 people were found to be sleeping rough, of which 20 were men and there were three women. Over the four different areas, 14 were counted in St Hilda’s and the surrounding area. Four were in Central Middlesbrough, none were found in Linthorpe Cemetery and Newport, while a further five were counted in the Linthorpe Road and Albert Park area, bringing the total to 23.
All rough sleepers were directed to DePaul drop-in on the morning of the sweep for additional support and food and no major incidents were reported during the count.
Executive member for adult social care, Cllr Julia Rostron, thanked all the volunteers who participated. The total of 23 was a marginal decrease on the previous year’s count which found 25 people sleeping rough in Middlesbrough, however numbers were still up on 2023, when 19 individuals were counted as rough sleepers in the town.
Last month, it was reported that Middlesbrough would receive £590,000, as part of a wider national government investment of £84m to support people facing homelessness. The grant was said to fund five members of staff at DePaul UK, a charity that provides advice and help to homeless people in the town, until 2027. In addition, the council will appoint a member of staff to focus on the prevention of homelessness.
Council documents added: “Middlesbrough Council is in the process of setting up a scheme with DePaul for further outreach support, to help build relationships and deliver further support to anyone sleeping rough in the town.” Papers explain how November has seen the start of the new commissioning model for the provision of homecare across the town.
The model is said to bring a “new” approach, which will establish geographical working in four distinct clusters – which will support the council’s neighbourhood model by working on a locality basis. As the culmination of over 18 months of planning and procurement comes together, the impact to individuals has been described as “minimal”.