MORE than £250,000 was spent on temporary accommodation for homeless people in a 12-month period.
A report, which will be discussed by a council scrutiny committee on Tuesday, revealed the figure for 2020/21 and represents a hike from the previous year’s spend of £140,000.
Expenditure has increased year-on-year since 2015/16, when it was under £25,000.
The report added: “Between April 2020 and February 2021, outreach officers responded to 857 rough sleeper reports.
“There is a high rate of returning rough sleepers in Barnsley and this is an area we are keen to address.”
We have been at the heart of our community, every week, since 1858. The town and its people have changed dramatically since then but the Chronicle has been a constant.
It’s our belief that news should be available to everyone regardless of their circumstance. But we need a little helping hand to do so.
Production Editor, Ashley Ball, said: "In an ever changing media world, it’s important that news is reported correctly and without any hidden agenda.
Your support allows us to keep holding decision-makers to account and report on everything that happens in the town, good or bad, fairly."