Morning:
10°c
Mayor launches agency for rough sleepers
Katharine Barney13 Feb 2009
Boris Johnson today launched an agency which aims to end rough sleeping in the capital.
The London Delivery Board will co-ordinate actions of councils, charities, the NHS and the Prison Service to try to get people off the streets.
The board, chaired by the Mayor's director of housing, Richard Blakeway, will create a protocol encouraging agencies to work more closely together.
Measures being considered include freeing up some of the 2,800 hostel places by moving those sufficiently independent into private rented accommodation. The NHS will be encouraged to visit hostels rather than risk residents missing appointments.
It is estimated that £65 million is spent looking after rough sleepers in London, but sometimes tasks are duplicated and money misdirected.
Half of the country's rough sleepers are in the capital, some 3,000 people a year.
Reader views (2)
Logical to hand this over to Mr Bird from BigIssue, who understands the issues involved from the viewpoint of homeless/rough sleepers, more so than a thespian connected to a Quango.
- William, Haywards Heath UK, 23/02/2009 15:37
Report abuse
Westminster City Council have a policy of repatriating foreign Rough Sleepers and it works. It may be expensive, but it has proven to me money well spent.
Many of these came over to London thinking that the pavements were paved with gold and found out that they were covered in chewing gum and litter. They have tried to get employment and failed, leaving them little choice other than to sleep on the streets. They have no prospects over here, so we should do the decent thing and give them the chance to reestablish themselves back in their home countries
- Andrew, London W1, 17/02/2009 22:16
Report abuse
