NINE people sleeping rough in York on a typical night, according to an annual street count.

City of York Council carries out an official street count each year, which sees council officers, Changing Lives, the NHS, North Yorkshire Police and other local organisations working to identify who is sleeping rough in the city.

They consider who does and doesn't have accommodation, whether they are based in York or they move around, and where they are found sleeping.

Nine people were identified as sleeping rough on a typical night this year, which was verified by Homeless Link, based on the findings of the count and on the other information gathered.

In 2017, the council found 29 people sleeping rough, and four last year.

Cllr Denise Craghill, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods, said: "We’re lobbying for more resources to counter this rise in rough sleeping across the country, as well as in York.

"We’ve secured some £1.3 million of Government funding over the next three years which is welcomed. But in the current economic climate, more is needed to deliver the personalised approach and appropriate levels of supported accommodation.

"Nine people sleeping rough regularly is far too many. We know this is a variable figure which fluctuates daily, and we continue to actively seek out people who might be sleeping rough and offer them a bed and support.

"Our resourceful and committed Street Navigators continue to find creative and personalised solutions to support people off the streets and into safer, more stable accommodation.”

Services continue to work intensively to reduce the numbers of people sleeping rough and get them into safe accommodation as soon as possible.