A scheme to reduce re-offending by helping people released from prison find and maintain rented accommodation across east Lancashire is set to continue thanks to a successful funding bid.
The accommodation for ex-offenders programme in East Lancashire has been given further funding of £232,808 from the Government.
The programme was established in 2021 to help prison leavers find homes via the private rented sector to help re-establish themselves into the community, cut homelessness and reduce re-offending rates.
The money will be used to provide assistance, including support workers, employed through Calico Homes, who will help settle an estimated 80 ex-offenders across the five boroughs over the next two years.
The funding bid was led by Burnley Council on behalf of the five East Lancashire borough councils.
Councillor John Harbour, the council’s executive member for housing and development control, said: “Providing support to ex-offenders who have been released from prison to help them find and maintain a settled home will help in the process of preventing them from re-offending and, hopefully, help reduce crime rates.
“Councils also have a statutory duty to prevent and tackle homelessness and this will help achieve that.”
A report will go to Burnley Council’s scrutiny committee, and then to its executive on 15th March for its approval to accept the funding.
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