A SCHEME aiding Basingstoke and Deane’s most vulnerable people is set for further backing.

In a bid to better understand and support rough sleepers in the borough, the Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) was set up in 2015 as a multi-agency network to help tackle this complex issue.

Since being launched the project, has been praised and is now set to continue to be rolled out across the borough until 2022 with further backing from the county council as well as the borough council.

Homelessness services in the borough were previously overseen by Hampshire County Council (HCC). However, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, along with other members of the SIP, decided to take up the mantel and pilot the scheme.

In a report to be put before the borough council’s cabinet next week, if agreed, HCC will extend the current model to July 2019, with the borough council then boosting this for a further three years to 2022.

However, due to budget cuts from the county council, swathes of the funding will be supplied by the borough council.

The report reads: “The current annual grant received from HCC is £746,468 per annum. Indicative discussions with HCC officers suggest HCC is likely to reduce this to around £376,865 from August 2019 onwards.”

Currently the SIP helps fund May Place, Mary Rose Court, outreach services for rough sleepers and the Camrose Centre.

Councillor Terri Reid, portfolio holder for housing the arts and regeneration said: “The Social Inclusion Partnership has demonstrated the level of improved outcomes the community can achieve when combining a determination and commitment to resolving complex homelessness issues.”

The report will be put before a meeting of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s cabinet on Tuesday.