ROUGH sleeping and homelessness in Winchester is set to be tackled in a more co-ordinated way, the city council has heard.

Councillor Linda Gemmell asked councillor Caroline Horrill, leader of Winchester City Council, what plans are being worked on to improve the issue.

Cllr Horrill said: "In recognition that a number of agencies and charities support the same individuals, although not always in a coordinated way and with some duplication of effort and funding, a senior level multi agency meeting was introduced in autumn last year.

"We anticipate formalising in the spring a panel which the chief executive is likely to take a lead role to oversee and explore joint best practice examples of working together, joint commission opportunities and sharing of funding pots.

"We are currently in talks with a housing provider to jointly commission an alternative 'Housing First' model of provision to reach those more entrenched rough sleepers."

At full council, she added that the plan coming forward in the spring would be "proportional and mindful," that members would be able to offer feedback to.

Councillor Martin Tod asked whether the number of rough sleepers was due to a failure in Conservative policy nationally.

"We are picking up the pieces here but it is her (Theresa May's) party who has failed," he said.

Cllr Horrill replied: "The current number of individuals who are sleeping rough is six. We are committed as a council to continuing our outreach.

"I do not think it is a political debate but a matter of human to human decency."