FOLLOWING criticism from government inspectors, a council has drawn up an action plan to improve the way it helps homeless people.

In October, the Audit Commission only gave Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council one star out of three for its homelessness and housing advice service.

The council responded with a £1m temporary accommodation project.

The Audit Commission said too many of the 500 applicants accepted each year by the council as being homeless were sent to sub-standard bed and breakfast accommodation. The report is blamed by council officers for preventing the authority receiving a better overall Comprehensive Performance Assessment. The overall performance of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council was rated as fair, with the three other authorities in Cleveland being rated as good or excellent.

Now the council has devised a 13-point action plan and has submitted a request for £33,000 in extra finance, which will be discussed by councillors next week.

The action plan includes a customer survey, identifying appropriate properties for accommodation, changing administrative processes and inspecting bed and breakfast properties each week.

Roger Kay, housing and health officer, said: "The action plan is specifically developed to address the immediate issues highlighted in the audit report."