CONSULTATION meetings are to take place to develop a strategy for helping homeless people in the Hambleton area of North Yorkshire.

It follows the district council's success in winning a £10,000 grant from the Government to tackle the problem.

New legislation was introduced by the Government earlier this summer requiring all local authorities to extend the groups of people they help to secure permanent accommodation.

It also requires the development and implementation of a homelessness strategy, and housing chiefs in Hambleton are consulting the homeless and former homeless to assist.

The first meeting with representatives of the public, private and voluntary sectors will take place on Wednesday at the Stone Cross Civic Centre, in Northallerton