ANY person found sleeping rough in Bromsgrove should be given immediate shelter, insists a local councillor who is calling for steps to be taken on the issue.
Charford councillor Michael Thompson will be calling for action to bring an end to homelessness and rough sleeping in Bromsgrove at the next meeting of Bromsgrove District Council.
Cllr Thompson said: “The high rate of deaths in the county from rough sleeping has been recently reported. As winter approaches this problem is only likely to increase.
"In addition, the uncertainty around the economy and complications in universal credit will impact on vulnerable families and put them at risk.
"We must make a full assessment of this problem and how these factors are likely to affect that.
"We need to find immediate shelter for anybody found rough sleeping.
"In addition, in view of our findings, make a clear and robust strategy to combat it.”
Dr Thompson - who recently resigned from the Labour party and is now an independent councillor - will ask the council to agree to a three-step resolution plan.
That plan is:
1. Task officers to make an estimate of those at risk of becoming homeless if the price of living rises, as is forecast.
2. Take action, by whatever means, to find immediate and local shelter for any person rough sleeping.
3. Task Overview and Scrutiny to examine the district’s strategy (and its relationship and lines of communication with its partners on this matter), in light of officers’ findings, and report to Full Council, with a view to creating a robust and coherent policy and strategy that ensures nobody is homeless nor sleeps rough in the district.
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