Rough sleeping and begging on the City’s streets are two subjects that get raised with me regularly, so I thought it would be worth me explaining what we are doing about these issues. First of all, I should be clear that the two phrases are not interchangeable. People who beg do not necessarily sleep rough and vice versa.

We are not alone in Gloucester in facing these issues – it is the same up the road in Cheltenham and across the country.

Working hard to address the issue
The numbers of people on the streets has been rising, so we have adopted a new policy (the Safe and Attractive Streets Policy) and are working hard with our partners, including the Police and Project Solace, to address the issue. The factors behind it are complex – often relating to mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction. Our approach has been to spend time trying to engage with rough sleepers and beggars, to understand their circumstances and assist where we can. Where they refuse to engage, we have taken enforcement action, including prosecution.

Some of the people sleeping rough have accommodation but, for a variety of reasons, do not use it. Some are in receipt of benefits. Others come from outside Gloucester.

Give to homeless charities
It is natural to feel compassion for those on hard times, but we believe it is better to give to homeless charities like P3, Shelter, Crisis or Gloucester City Mission than to give money or food directly to individuals – where you don’t know all their circumstances or what the money will be used for.

The Government has recently awarded Gloucestershire £900,000 to help deal with the problem of entrenched rough sleepers through intensive one to one support. This will help complement our work to date.

Our officers are on the streets every day dealing with this issue, but if you see someone who you think is sleeping rough and you have concerns for their welfare, please report it to Streetlink on 0300 500 0914 or via streetlink.org.uk. Please report any concerns about anti-social behaviour to the Police on 101 or email asb@gloucester.gov.uk with as much detail as possible.