Housing and health partnership to support the homeless

Caption:Tracey Campbell, clinical lead at York Street health practice with Councillor Peter Gruen, executive board member with responsibility for neighbourhoods and housing.

Homeless people in Leeds are set to benefit from combined housing and health advice.

Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust’s York Street health practice and Leeds City Council’s Housing Options service have come together to hold weekly sessions at the housing options building on Great George Street to respond to health issues and problems and also provide advice and help to homeless people.

York Street health practice provides health and social care to people who are homeless, in temporary accommodation or seeking asylum and the Housing Options service supports hundreds of homeless people every year by helping them to find hostel and rented accommodation, but now this will be brought together on a weekly basis to make the services easier to access.

The new service will complement the outreach clinics York Street already runs at St George’s Crypt and Pos¬i¬tive Action for Refuges and Asy¬lum Seek¬ers (PAFRAS).

Councillor Peter Gruen, Leeds City Council executive board member with responsibility for housing and neighbourhoods said:

“We welcome this health and housing partnership which will deliver accessible, convenient and appropriate healthcare and provide choice for some of the most vulnerable individuals.”

Tracey Campbell, clinical lead at York Street said:
“Working in partnership with Housing Options is a valuable and positive venture to improve access to high quality health care for homeless people in Leeds.”


Ends

For media enquiries, please contact;
Cat Milburn, Leeds City Council press office (0113) 247 4450
Email: Catherine.milburn@leeds.gov.uk

Call for retail and employment sites

People who aware of property or land they think could be developed for retail or employment use are being urged to contact Leeds City Council with details of the sites.

The call for sites is required for the council’s Site Allocations Development Plan Document (SADPD), which forms part of the Local Development Framework.

These new sites are essential in order to provide a range of retail and employment opportunities in accessible locations that can meet the needs of the district’s current and future population.

Submitting a site does not mean permission will be given to develop it, but will help the Council to identify suitable locations for new retail and employment sites. Proposals must be in line with council planning policy and go through the usual council planning processes. As part of the SADPD, proposed sites will be subject to public consultation and independent examination by a planning inspector.

Cllr Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy and development said:

“Leeds is a thriving city with a strong economy. But to make sure it stays that way we need to plan ahead and do everything we can to encourage employment and business opportunites in the future.

As a council we need to ensure that business and retail development growth happens in the right way as part of a managed process, with the right infrastructure and facilities in place to support it.

“That’s why this plan is important and why we want people to come forward with their proposals as soon as possible.”


Further details can be found on the City Council’s website and submissions should be received by the end of 30th March 2012.

Ends

For media enquiries, please contact;
Annie Goodyear, Leeds City Council press office (0113)2243937
Email: Annie.goodyear@leeds.gov.uk