Town’s emergency plan to help the homeless

HOMELESS people on the streets of Nuneaton and Bedworth will be offered emergency temporary accommodation if temperatures continue to hit below freezing.

With the Nuneaton Winter Night Shelter due to come to an end last night, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is poised to help rough sleepers who face spending the night in Siberian temperatures.

The Town Hall says it has put in place its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) and will bring it into force if the predicted severe conditions prevail for three consecutive nights, which is in line with national guidance.

Councillor Julie Jackson, cabinet member for housing and communities at the Town Hall, explained: “SWEP is a national initiative that gives local housing authorities the responsibility to temporarily accommodate anyone who is homeless in severe weather conditions, regardless of the usual restrictive criteria that would apply under normal weather conditions.

“Councils will accommodate homeless people regardless of priority need, intentionality or other usual exclusions. This is to ensure that noone is sleeping rough when temperatures are below freezing.

“Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council housing options officers will arrange temporary accommodation in a hostel or B&B in Nuneaton or Bedworth or as near to the borough as possible, for the period that conditions trigger SWEP. In addition homeless individuals will be given advice and assistance to assist them to secure alternative accommodation where possible.

“Anyone sleeping rough on the streets should contact the housing options service at the Town Hall on 024 7637 6376 during office hours or the out of hours service on 024 7638 2153 at other times.”

In the meantime, the Winter Night Shelter, which is the brainchild of the Nuneaton Salvation Army and local churches, is preparing to bring to a close its three month long project to provide a roof over the heads of the homeless.

Financial constraints and volunteer time means that the scheme can only run for what are traditionally the coldest months of the year.

It is the fifth year that the scheme has been held in the town.