ON the one hand it is good news that Trinity Winchester is to make a major investment in tackling homelessness.

We report that the centre on Durngate is planning to convert under-used space in its large building into three rooms for emergency housing, as well as develop five modular buildings, called Z pods, on a site to be determined.

Trinity estimates the schemes will cost around £1 million, and both are subject to planning permission.

These schemes are to be welcomed but on the other hand one cannot help but think it would have been unnecessary had funding from central Government not substantially dried up in the years of austerity from 2010. Winchester has had a homelessness problem for decades, hence the reason why Trinity started in the first place, in the 1980s in the church hall at Holy Trinity church in Upper Brook Street. Yet had the financial support not been reduced it is unlikely that Trinity Winchester would have to be looking to spend the money now.

The issue is not going away and for issues such as homelessness it is potentially getting worse with the county council proposing to withdraw all funding for vulnerable adults who would otherwise be homeless.

Yet investing in tackling homelessness is not the end of the problem. There is mental health, education and training to consider.