Monthly meetings to tackle homelessness in UK City of Culture

Mayor Kevin Campbell revealed the development following a meeting with key statutory agencies, the voluntary sector and support agencies.

He stated: “We are going to meet on a monthly basis to ensure the issue of homelessness remains high on the agenda. We intend to work on preparing an action plan for 2013 that will look at solutions and positive ways of dealing with this issue.

“We are approaching 2013 and our year as City of Culture and it’s important that issues like this are not brushed under the carpet but are brought out into the open and addressed in a positive manner.”

The Mayor described the meeting as extremely positive and worthwhile.

“It was good to get the key agencies around the table to talk about this important issue and to hear at first hand the issues relating to homelessness and what steps need to be taken to tackle the problem.

“The main concern expressed at the meeting was the need for long term solutions to be put into place that will make a real difference to these vulnerable members of our society.

“The meeting also highlighted the tremendous amount of good work that is being done by all agencies to address this problem and to help those who have found themselves to be in this unfortunate position,” he said.

The Mayor added that the group will be extending an invitation to the key decision makers in the key agencies to attend a future meeting of the group.