THE Government minister charged with tackling homelessness in the UK today visited a York homeless hostel to witness the city's problems at first hand.

Barbara Roche MP, Minister for Social Exclusion and Equality, visited the Peasholme Centre, in Peasholme Green, to look at its work as a drop-in centre and hostel for the homeless.

While at the centre, Ms Roche praised the multi-agency approach to helping the homeless in York.

Agencies in the city claim the number of people sleeping rough, instead of in hostels, has dropped from 24 to four in the last three years.

Ms Roche said: "The reduction of rough sleepers on York's streets shows that the multi-agency approach is working. It is encouraging to see the re-focusing of efforts on preventing rough sleeping, through a co-ordinated strategy which helps those most at risk.

Ms Roche met with staff at the centre and took questions from residents and representatives of homelessness agencies in York.

Graham Falconer, homeless since he left the army seven years ago, said: "I was quite impressed with her. It is encouraging that a minister has come here and spoken to us."

Ms Roche said: "I am very impressed and particularly wanted to see a partnership work which has come together so well here in York."

Ms Roche highlighted the recent allocation of an extra £7 million to be spent on domestic violence refuges and £1 million for a national domestic violence helpline.

Seventeen per cent of newly-homeless women in the Yorkshire and Humber region are victims of domestic violence, slightly above the national average.

Ms Roche also said the Government would look at using some of the UK's thousands of empty homes, including MOD homes to get people off the streets.

"We're working very closely with the MOD and the Empty Homes Agency. It is a priority issue," she said.

The multi-agency approach to York's homelessness problem has seen City of York Council working in partnership with a number of other groups to help get homeless people off the streets and into homes.

Agencies the council works with include the Peasholme Charity, the Salvation Army, the Arc Light project and Future Prospects' Cornerstones Project.

Coun Ruth Potter, the council's executive member for housing, said today: "This is an issue we have addressed seriously in York through an holistic, multi-disciplinary approach providing advice and support for homeless people, as well as shelter."

Updated: 16:24 Thursday, December 12, 2002