Nobody should find themselves on the streets in Swindon.

That's the avowed aim of the borough council's new strategy to bring rough sleeping to an end in the town.

It's been drawn up to fit in with the government's aim to eradicate the phenomenon across the country by 2027.

The draft strategy has five main steps.

The first is "no-one arrives on the street" - the council will create a specialist frontline service for single vulnerable people at risk of rough sleeping to work with them and find housing.

If someone does find themselves on the streets the council promises "a rapid joined-up response". Care Act assessments will be carried out for older and frail people, a the council might work with others to commission a day centre.

Every individual who is sleeping rough will be offered a personal support plan to rebuild their lives and helping those with no link to Swindon to make reconnections with their locality where it's safe to do so.

"Nobody should return to the street" is the fourth plank in the strategy, with help for those to find affordable housing options, and the fifth angle is to increase the supply of affordable housing, especially for single people.

Coun Cathy Martyn, the council’s cabinet member for housing and public safety, said: “We are committed to reducing the numbers of rough sleepers in Swindon and this strategy is an important tool for achieving that.

“From providing emergency accommodation to everyone who needs it to opening a new day care centre to provide services to homeless people, this council already offers a lot of support to rough sleepers and this critical document acts as a public declaration that outlines our mission."

The council spends £1.4m every year providing support and accommodation to people experiencing housing difficulties, and earlier this year opened the Haven - a winter housing provision for 12 people, colocated with a day centre.

Responses to the plan should be made via the council's website by January 31.