 Statement from Hull City Council: Tent City Protest - 10/11/2016
"Following a meeting with the organisers of the tent city protest on Monday 7 November, we offered to meet and assess the needs of the rough sleepers present on the site and to provide emergency accommodation. Assessments were carried out yesterday and all of those who came forward were found suitable accommodation. "We know that there are only a handful of local rough sleepers on the site, most of whom are already known to us, and that the remainder of occupants are protesters from outside of the city. "Since tent city was established, our priority has been to get rough sleepers off the street and into warm accommodation, particularly as we are experiencing poor weather conditions. Outreach workers have visited the site and offered the occupants hostel places. There are currently enough bed places in Hull for all rough sleepers who need one. "We have a moral obligation to protect rough sleepers in this city, which we take extremely seriously, and we work extensively with them to enable them to live independent lives. "Sadly, we now know that the organisers of tent city are advising these vulnerable individuals to reject our offer of accommodation and remain on site for the false promise of permanent accommodation. Many of these individuals have significant problems, addictions and complex needs and it would not be in their best interests to offer them a permanent tenancy until they are ready to live independently. We will not set people up to fail. "We have actively sought to engage constructively with the organisers of tent city since their arrival in Hull. However, it is now unclear as to whether they are prepared to co-operate with us and, unfortunately, their behaviour is becoming increasingly intimidating to council and partner employees. "Fundamentally, their actions are encouraging rough sleepers to remain on the street. This is totally unacceptable and we are left with no option but to instigate legal proceedings to remove the protesters from the site and city. "We will continue to support rough sleepers in Hull and our outreach support will carry on, as it has been doing, 365 days per year." http://www.newtekjournalismukworld.com/eileen-kersey/hull-tent-city-championing-homeless-citizens
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Social housing is starting to be in short supply as the government commits to further sales of such property. Private rented landlords are able to offer short-term leases since previous Tory de-regulation. The Tories may blame the last Labour government for failing to act but it was during Thatcher's reign that housing stocks were decimated. Shelter’s petition says: This Christmas, 100,000 children will be homeless. Use your postcode at this link to see how many homeless people are registered in your area. There are 32 in mine and 25 are families with children. That is followed by some housing information for where I live; It’s getting tough to afford a home – in Kingston upon Hull, house prices have risen by £168,469 since 1969. It was tough getting somewhere to live when we married in 1972 but there were many cheap to rent old properties available.
If you live in other parts of the U.K. expect to see shocking statistics for your area. You can sign the petition by following this link. There is no quick and easy fix for those facing homelessness this Christmas so Shelter are also asking for donations if you are able. Related reading: British homelessness 2014 campaign Tax avoiding HSBC and anti homeless spikes [these were later removed] |
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