BCP Council says 40 people were sleeping rough in the area in March 2026, down from 50 a year earlier, marking 18 per cent. Council leader Millie Earl said the council's annual count left her "so proud" of the work of its homelessness and housing teams and partners including the YMCA and St Mungo's. Earl said austerity had doubled homelessness and rough sleeping nationally over 15 years, making local progress hard-won. Chief executive Aidan Dunn welcomed the new Prime Minister's pledge to end homelessness and said the council would "do everything we can" as policy changes. The council said its Homelessness Early Prevention Service helped around 1,500 households in the previous year, with more than 200 supported to remain in their homes.