A FUND worth hundreds of thousands of pounds has been set aside by council chiefs to provide housing for homeless teenagers.
Bosses at Cumbria County Council have ring fenced a total of £400,000 to pay for new supported accommodation for 16 to 18-year-olds in Barrow.
It is hoped the move will put an end to vulnerable teenagers in the age group being housed in bed and breakfasts and bedsits across the town.
A spokesman for the authority said discussions on the best way to roll out new accommodation for young people was at an advanced stage.
The spokesman said: "A plan to create new accommodation for young people in Barrow was discussed at the full council meeting in Kendal last week.
"The £400,000 project utilises the same money that was ring-fenced last year, but the project was delayed due to the flooding and disruption caused by Storm Desmond.
"The council is working with partner agencies to deliver support and accommodation services for young people in Barrow and will announce details of the scheme in due course."
Accounts held by the county council show £350,000 was allocated towards the project in the 2016/17 budget - in addition to £50,000 held from the 2015/16 year.
It is hoped work will begin on the project before the end of the year.
Fears about increased levels of teen homelessness escalated in February this year when the county council slashed the value of contracts for supported living accommodation across the county.
It resulted in the closure of Silverdale Street - a homelessness prevention project in Barrow which provided accommodation for 16 to 25-year-olds in the town.
In response, a statement from the county council read: "In September the council’s cabinet agreed changes to how it funds support attached to short-term accommodation.
"The change resulted in a redistribution of funds to ensure a more equitable split across all parts of the county and involved a retendering of the service.
"The owners of Silverdale Street chose not to bid for the new contracts."
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