People in Exeter can find out what is being done in the city to assist those who are homeless at a drop-in event next week.
The City Council – working in partnership with Teignbridge District Council – has drawn up a Homelessness Strategy for Exeter and Teignbridge.
As part of the Strategy the public are being asked for their views on a raft of initiatives put forward to prevent homelessness.
Cllr Emma Morse, Lead Councillor for Customer Access, said: “This is a great opportunity for people to drop in and see what we have been doing to address homelessness in the...
As the cold weather is set to continue, many homeless people are putting themselves at risk of injury and even death by sleeping in waste containers, according to recycling specialists, Coastal Recycling.
Many rough sleepers are seeking shelter from the harsh weather conditions and see wheelie bins as a safer place to sleep than on the street. In addition, bins present a comfortable refuge to people under the influence of drink and drugs.
Unfortunately accidents can occur if the sleeper hasn’t been spotted in advance. Each bin is lifted six metres high before being tipped...
The Green Party has condemned Labour’s plans for a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) across the city centre, condemning them as ‘muddled thinking’ which will fail to help local residents or businesses.
The proposals could lead to the confiscation of sleeping bags and personal items and ultimately lead to the criminalisation of homeless people unable to pay a fine.
Tom Milburn, Exeter Green Party candidate in Newton and St Leonard’s ward said: “Someone sleeping rough in the city is very vulnerable and, if forced away from the relative ‘protection’ of the City Centre, is...
Human rights campaigning organisation Liberty is concerned that Exeter City Council’s proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) will criminalise the city’s most vulnerable people.
A consultation into the Council’s plans closes at midnight on 29 February 2016. Liberty intends to respond to the consultation with a detailed analysis of how the PSPO will potentially lead to unjust, counterproductive and unlawful action being taken against homeless people.
As drafted, the Order bans unsolicited requests for money and gives police and Council officers the right to clear away...
People are being asked to comment on a raft of initiatives that have been put forward to tackle homelessness in Teignbridge and Exeter.
Teignbridge and Exeter have drawn up a joint, draft Homelessness Strategy and are seeking the views of residents. The consultation period runs for six weeks from 12 February to 25 March 2016.
You can see the strategy on our website and fill in a brief survey at: www.teignbridge.gov.uk/liveconsultations
In Exeter this is a separate consultation to the current ongoing consultation on the Public Spaces Protection Order.
A raft of initiatives to tackle homelessness in Exeter and Teingbridge has been put forward and will soon be available for the public to comment on.
Exeter City Council and Teignbridge District Council have drawn up a draft Homelessness Strategy to address this issue.
The Strategy will go before the City Council's Scrutiny Community Committee on 19 January before going to Executive and Council, as well as members of Teignbridge Council early next month. Members of the public will get a chance to comment on the Strategy during a six-week period of consultation in February...
Research by the housing and homelessness charity Shelter has revealed that approximately 19,000 renters were put at risk of eviction in the last year - equivalent to over 350 renters per week.
The new analysis, which uses Ministry of Justice figures, showed that 1 in every 86 rented households in the South West have been put at risk of losing their home.
The charity also identified the hotspots in the region where renters are most likely to face losing their home.
The charity is warning that a worrying combination of rapidly rising rents, drastic cuts to housing...
For the first time in Exeter, anyone who is rough sleeping in the city this winter will have to opportunity to come indoors and “safe sleep” for three continuous months, starting on December 1st.
Nicola Forsdyke, Exeter City Council’s Housing Options Manager explains, “We have been discussing how we could extend our normal Severe Weather Emergency Provision (SWEP) for rough sleepers with our partner agencies St Petrock’s, BCHA, who run the city hostel, Gabriel House and Julian House, who manage the Street Homeless Outreach Team, for some time and we’re delighted to get this new...
Shelter analysis of government statistics reveals that over 2,100 children will wake up homeless this Christmas day in the South West. And worryingly, with councils feeling the pressure of our affordable housing shortage, the number of families across Britain living in B&Bs – accommodation which is often cramped and unsafe for children – has more than trebled over the last five years. Shelter is calling on the public for urgent support this Christmas, as its advisers struggle to cope with demand for help from the growing number of families battling to keep a roof over their heads. To...
The first grant to be awarded by, a newly founded trust, the MAXIMUS Foundation UK has been made to St Petrock’s, Exeter’s charity for people who are homeless.
“The trust is set up to give one-off grants to small community based charities whose work means something to our employees or resonates with what we do as a business,” explains Jude Hartley, administrator of MAXIMUS Foundation UK, “and St Petrock’s was nominated by one of our Exeter employee, Trish Leworthy.”
“We were delighted to receive this award of £2,500”, says Mel Hartley, project manager of St Petrock’s, “...
