AT last week’s Coffs Harbour City Council meeting Council’s Acting General Manager Chris Chapman told the new Council that while homelessness was a significant issue in the community, Coffs Council itself had no policy on homelessness.

But, he said, “We’re starting to formulate a policy position on homelessness.

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“We’ve got a briefing targeted with the elected council coming up next month around not only homelessness but also affordable housing and social housing and what Council’s role may or may not be in that space,” said Mr Chapman.

“So obviously as everyone’s acutely aware it’s a significant issue in the community,” he said.

“Council has no policy at the moment on homelessness so obviously we’re starting to formulate a policy position which council can consider, this is obviously getting a bit further down the stream, obviously we’ve got no expertise in providing homelessness services in a formal sense but certainly the policy framework is being prepared and Council will have a discussion about that in the coming weeks,” Mr Chapman said.

The issue was raised in conjunction with an amendment to a motion to proceed with the upgrade of Sportz Central in which Councillors debated whether the facility could be dual-purposed to help address the worsening homelessness and emergency accommodation situation for vulnerable members of the local community.

By Paul FOGARTY