PLANS to integrate Monmouthshire’s homeless services with Torfaen County Borough Council’s will be discussed at a cabinet meeting in January.

Monmouthshire County Council aims to combine the homelessness and housing options services for both councils to create a Housing Futures Service for 2015. The service aims to be self funding within five years.

Both councils will have to create substantial savings with Monmouthshire Housing Options Service needing to make a saving of £55,000 over the next three years.

In November, the Welsh Government passed a Housing Bill which imposed a new duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps to prevent homelessness for anyone approaching them who may be at risk of losing their home within 56 days.

The councils have been integrating services since November with a jointly run out of hours service, use of temporary accommodation stock and combining resources to gain access to the private rented sector to prevent homelessness.

The Housing Future Service will be focused on providing help and advice for all in housing need and not just those at risk of being homeless. It also aims to give advice on leasehold, repairs, grants, loans, equity release and shared ownership.

The cabinet will meet on January 8 at the County Hall in Rhadyr to discuss the proposal.