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More emergency help for the homeless this winter




Sleeping rough in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2018. Photo: Mark Williamson
Sleeping rough in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2018. Photo: Mark Williamson

Stratford District Council are set to go above and beyond to help rough sleepers during bad weather this winter.

On Monday the Cabinet discussed options to make emergency accommodation available to rough sleepers when temperatures were forecast to fall below zero degrees during any night.

Such a move would have brought Stratford District Council’s policy in line with neighbouring Warwick’s and national guidelines.

Previously three consecutive nights of sub-zero temperatures needed to be forecast before accommodation could be offered.

However the authority is now expected to go even further by amending the definition of severe weather to include conditions such as wind, rain, heat and snow, meaning that if such conditions existed, emergency accommodation would be offered.

When asked how quickly the new policy could be put in place, Cllr Jacqui Harris, health, wellbeing and housing portfolio, said that it could be implemented within two weeks.

Cllr Harris said: “The District Council has operated a SWEP since 2011 and this has been based upon the national guidance which was issued at that time. This guidance has recently been updated and now advocates greater protection for rough sleepers.

“Most of us can’t imagine what it must be like to sleep rough, but I hope that the decision taken by The Cabinet today goes some way to offer some protection in the future to those who need it the most. The humanitarian duty on the District Council should weigh heavily in our minds and we should recognise that by protecting this vulnerable group we are also reducing implications for other public agencies such as the Health Service and GPs.

“My view is that the humanitarian duty on this council should weigh heavy on our minds and we should also include other severe weather conditions in our policy.”

Cllr Peter Moorse said: “We raised this issue some time ago and we asked this council to bring our policy in line with Warwick’s. Clearly things have moved on further since then and I do feel we have to look at a wider proposal.”



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