Adur and Worthing Councils are asking residents for their views on new plans to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.
Council bosses say the draft strategy sets out a proactive approach, aiming to prevent homelessness, keep it brief where it does occur, and stop it from happening again.
The new five-year strategy also highlights the councils’ plans to work more closely with partners to develop a stronger multi-agency response to homelessness, significantly reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation and to help people move forward from homelessness in the long-term.
As part of the consultation process, the draft strategy was reviewed by the councils’ Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) at The Shoreham Centre last week.
Feedback was received from committee members and Adur and Worthing’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Prevention Partnership, which has been incorporated into the strategy now out for consultation.
Cllr Lee Cowen, Adur's cabinet member for housing and citizen services, said: “This strategy aims to shift our approach from crisis management to early intervention. By acting proactively we will help people break the cycle of homelessness, move forward and sustain independence as well as substantially decrease our expenditure.”
Cllr Ödül Bozkurt, Worthing's cabinet member for housing and citizen services, said: “Everyone deserves a safe, secure and affordable home, but the increasing pressures of the cost of living crisis mean more people need help with homelessness. By working more closely with partners and neighbouring local authorities, we aim to create a unified approach to prevent homelessness in the long term.”
The councils are keen to hear from as many people as possible about what they think of the strategy. The consultation runs until midnight on Tuesday 14th October 2025.
You can read the Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and have your say by visiting the consultation page: https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/homelessness-strategy-consultation/
To request a paper copy of the consultation, or for help to completing the questions, please email housing.strategy@adur-worthing.gov.uk.
Boy accused of murder in Seaford appears in court
MP Jess Brown-Fuller urges hospital leaders to re-open St Richard’s cardiac cath lab in Chichester
Adur Outdoor Activities Centre refurbishment
Portsmouth residents help cement city’s reputation as the UK’s street art capital
Free health and wellbeing programme will support men in the Chichester District
Appeal after criminal damage caused in Bognor
Police searching for missing Rebecca, 38, from Hassocks
Storage units approved in Shoreham
Kent man charged with sexual assault at Camber Sands
Sussex spots 67,056 butterflies and moths during UK’s hottest summer on record
On Air