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Windsor & Maidenhead Council consults on fining rough sleepers

Windsor & Maidenhead Council is consulting on proposals to fine rough sleepers, despite Home Office guidance advising councils not to act in this way.

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Picture: Getty
Picture: Getty
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People who leave bedding in the town centre of the PM’s constituency could be fined £100 under new proposals #ukhousing

A report that will go before the council’s cabinet on 22 February proposes offering “packages of support” to rough sleepers “in an effort to change their circumstances”.

However, the proposal says that if support is rejected the council would consider using a public spaces protection order (PSPO) to penalise people for actions such as leaving bedding on the street or begging in town centres.

Under the proposals, anyone who breaches these conditions would be fined £100, reduced to £50 on early payment. If offenders fail to pay, however, cases could be taken to the Magistrates’ Court and higher penalties could be imposed.


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Guidance from the Home Office on the use of PSPOs, however, advises: “[PSPOs] should not be used to target people based solely on the fact that someone is homeless or rough sleeping, as this in itself is unlikely to mean that such behaviour is having an unreasonably detrimental effect on the community’s quality of life which justifies the restrictions imposed.”

It adds: “These orders should be used only to address any specific behaviour that is causing a detrimental effect on the community’s quality of life which is within the control of the person concerned.”

The report, by Jesse Grey, cabinet member for environmental services at the council, has yet to be seen by cabinet and the proposals would be subject to consultation.

Comments on the strategy included in the report stated: “A robust strategy will ensure that no borough resident rough sleeping or street dwelling will be left unsupported. An individual package of support will be offered to each individual in an effort to change their circumstances.

“Where support is rejected however and anti-social behaviour evidenced, the strategy will ensure appropriate enforcement is able to occur, with appropriate financial disincentives set.”

Simon Dudley, leader of Windsor & Maidenhead Council, was criticised by Theresa May last month for his comments on rough sleeping in the historic town centre.

The prime minister’s constituency is Maidenhead, which according to the report has a growing number of rough sleepers. It would also be affected by the proposals.

A spokesperson for Windsor & Maidenhead Council said: “If cabinet decides to progress the public spaces protection order, a consultation with the police, landowners and community representatives must take place. No start date for this consultation has been set and no date has been set for the new strategy to begin.

“A multi-agency partnership working group including Thames Valley Police, Resilience [a drug and alcohol service] and council officers has been formed to consider the issue and proposed the model which would be the basis of the new strategy.”

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