PLANS to invest £5m in a homeless housing scheme to combat a crisis in temporary accommodation in Oxford have been backed by councillors.

Earlier this evening, senior councillors of Oxford City Council agreed to join the Real Lettings scheme, which would buy about 50 properties to house people and families with connections to the city.

As reported by the Oxford Mail this week, the measure has been put forward after officers warned the council’ ability to help the “disproportionately large” homeless population was “severely limited” in the face of a chronic housing shortage.

Tonight the executive board approved the plan at a meeting in Oxford Town Hall.