Homelessness is becoming a bigger issue in Brentwood - but council chiefs are hoping their new action plan will begin to ease the misery.

The borough's first homelessness strategy sets out what will be done to tackle the problem in the run up to 2008.

A report to the Brentwood's community safety panel made note of a 'significant increase in statutory homeless applications' last year.

The Government monitors the council in all its services against set targets and the increase was reflected by a corresponding drop in performance on certain indicators.

Last year the council had to decide on 156 applications for homelessness and 123 cases were accepted - an increase of 50 per cent on the previous 12 months.

Head of housing services Chris Wainman said later: "The increase in homeless applications wasn't in any particular group - it was across the board. It was people approaching us and we had out statutory duty to assist.

"It is what is happening out there are we have to respond to it"

People in Brentwood seem to find themselves homeless for a variety of reasons but big factors are family conflicts, private sector landlords requiring properties back, and people with medical problems.

Published Monday September 27, 2004

Brought to you by the Brentwood Gazette