Councillors will decide on Tuesday (September 10) whether to buy a town centre building in Basingstoke for providing services to the homeless.
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council’s cabinet will decide whether to move forward with plans to acquire Maritime House in New Road which is currently in use by council partner Basingstoke and Deane Social Inclusion Partnership.
It currently provides a base for the partnership’s specialist outreach service for people sleeping rough, operated on behalf of the council by the Julian House charity. The building is also shared with artistic not-for-profit Makerspace.
The building owner now wants to sell it and the council is interested because it wants to maintain the town centre location where it could, along with partners, provide further activities and support from one location. Officers have recommended refurbishment if the acquisition goes through.
Cabinet member for residents’ services and housing Cllr Laura James said: “We have committed to using our resources to improve the standards of our homelessness support facilities, as part of our Council Plan and Housing and Homelessness Strategy.
“By seizing the opportunity to buy this building, which is in a key town centre location, well served by public transport and already at the centre of delivering outreach services for the most vulnerable members of our community, we are putting those words into action.
“Owning this building would also give us exciting opportunities to explore how we can continue to improve the range and level of co-ordinated support for those who need it, alongside our partners.”
Image: Google.
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