Bedrooms for rough sleepers plan again on the agenda

THE controversial plan to provide eight bedrooms for homeless people at Warrington’s James Lee House Salvation Army hostel is back before council planners next week.
Officers are recommending it for approval – as they did on the last occasion the proposal was on the agenda at the borough council’s development management committee.
But this time there is a more detailed description of the proposals.
Planning chiefs deferred a decision at the last meeting after a number of objectors complained that the eight bedrooms were “very basic” and would replace 10 existing beds at the charity Room at the Inn.
The report to go before next week’s meeting of the committee makes no mention of Room at the Inn – but it does stress that some of the objections raised at the last meeting were not planning matters.
It also says that James Lee House offers supported accommodation for single, homeless people with round-the-clock staffing available.
There is support for independent living, including support for finding move-on accommodation, life skills, including good preparation, cooking, budgeting and money management and support for individual needs, including health, social care, we3llbeing and support services.
Residents do not have to vacate their premises during the day and are able to access the facilities, services nad provisions available within the building, including breakfast.
The report argues that the eight bedrooms are key to helping tackle an increase in homelessness in the borough and the challenges of rough sleeping.
A number of people have criticised the committee for not reaching a decision on the proposals at its last meeting.