A CENTRE for homeless people in Basingstoke and Deane could be saved from closure after the borough council supported a proposal to take over the running of the service.

And a second centre in the town could remain for use by borough residents, having been under threat of becoming a regional hostel.

Borough councillors supported a pilot scheme to take over the running of services for vulnerable and homeless people.

Following a spending review, Hampshire County Council is changing the services it funds for people needing support to live independently from April 2016, reducing the services by almost half.

As part of the massive Supporting People cuts which are proposed by the county council Joshua Tree in Worting Road, which provides accommodation for homeless people and families, would close and there would be reduced services for single homeless people.

The proposals would also see May Place, at the Top of the Town, become a regional hostel, reducing the number of places for those at risk of sleeping rough in the borough.

The proposed changes would also impact the amount of support available in other supported accommodation for single homeless people and housing support services in the community.

But councillors on the borough council’s economic, planning and housing committee agreed on Monday to support a proposal put forward by the local authority to take part in a three-year pilot scheme.

As part of the proposal, which has been supported by Hampshire County Council, the borough council will receive a direct grant of £746,468 for three years from Hampshire County Council, the county council and the borough council would add £100,000 of its own funds to deliver joined-up housing support services with housing associations, charities, voluntary groups and other public sector agencies and businesses.

The pilot scheme would also include options for saving the services provided by Joshua Tree and keeping services at May Place for local people only.

Deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and regeneration, Cllr Terri Reid, said: “We managed to get a stay of execution for a year before the cuts were implemented.

“The Hampshire proposal which came forward in detail early this summer would have meant there would be a reduction in funding and also that there would be an end to Joshua Tree because Hampshire have no statutory duty for homeless families.

“We went back with a proposition to give us the money for three years to allow us to shape a new kind of service.”

The borough’s Liberal Democrats leader, Cllr Gavin James, welcomed the pilot but raised concern about what would happen after three years.

He told the meeting: “I am just a bit worried. Are we going to be here in three years time because the county have dropped it? Some services are so critical.

“Are we ready as a council if we need to get more money for other services to have to go to residents and say this will cost you all 10p more a week to provide services which we think are critical.”

But Independent councillor Onnalee Cubitt praised the council for the early work they have done to prevent cuts to services, saying: “I commend the council for being proactive. It has got to be the way forward and even in the private sector they don’t stand still and they evolve and evaluate, change and modify.”

The borough council’s decision-making cabinet will make a final decision on the proposed pilot in September.