IT is encouraging to hear that councils will now be tackling long-term homelessness with an initiative that has met with support from the charity Cirencester Signpost.

Nearly £1million worth of government funding for Gloucestershire will ensure that 110 long-term homeless people with complex needs are supported.

The money will be used to employ professionals to provide one-on-one support for those who have not responded to traditional services.

The initiative takes into account the fact that sometimes, homelessness is not as simple as being able to house someone as there are may be other issues which prevent them from sustaining that accommodation.

Cirencester and the Cotswolds is often seen as an affluent area but there are some distinct pockets of deprivation that sometimes go unnoticed.

The new approach by local authorities represents a positive step forward and a recognition that homelessness can happen anywhere.