ROUGH sleepers will get extra help thanks to a new initiative between Swindon Borough Council, Wiltshire Police, Threshold Housing Link and Swindon Night Shelter.

Staff who see people sleeping outside will give them a blue intervention notice as part of Project Luscombe. The cards contain all the information someone will need about how and where they can receive help and support..

Cabinet member for housing Cathy Martyn said: “This project is about working with our partners to try make sure rough sleepers know about, and have access to, the support they need.

“It’s about reinforcing that the help is there and available. Ultimately, our aim is always to encourage rough sleepers to feel able to come off the streets and into safe accommodation.”

Sgt James Neighbour from Swindon's community policing team added: “This approach is designed to encourage early intervention – signposting people to the support that is already in place, so they can get the appropriate help to keep themselves safe."

“We are hoping that this will help reduce anti-social behaviour and criminality, solving problems before they escalate, and ultimately reducing the need for police involvement.”

Sgt Neighbour said the police do have extra powers but would only use them as a very last resort, issuing criminal behaviour orders if a rough sleeper turns to crime.

Jason Biggs from Threshold said: “It is a sad fact that often through coercion and organised exploitation, some individuals become deeply involved in activities that make homelessness a difficult reality to escape. Effectively supporting such person away from the streets requires well-integrated, multi-agency support.

“Without doubt, The sooner people can be assisted to enter emergency and resettlement accommodation, receive support to overcome substance dependence, receive professional support to promote mental wellbeing and engage with medical care if necessary, then the better will be the overall outcomes for such an individual."

Operations manager at Swindon Night Shelter Dan Read said: “We look forward to welcoming those given notices to The Haven Day Centre, and working with them and other services towards positive change and outcomes”.

Since March, the council has funded rooms for the town’s rough sleepers in the Great Western Hotel to try and keep them safe.