One-night survey carried out into rough sleeper numbers

THREE rough sleepers were found during an annual count to try and establish the number of rough sleepers in Charnwood.

Carried out by the borough council, with the support of local partner agencies, four teams checked over 50 locations across the borough in the early hours of Wednesday, November 21.

Three people were found during the operation. Two accepted the offers of accommodation for the night and one person declined the offer of support.

The count follows guidelines set by Homeless Link, a charity which works with organisations involved in supporting homeless people.

The council says it is required by government to provide either an estimate of the number of rough sleepers in the borough or carry out an actual count.

The findings from the count contribute towards building a national picture of rough sleeping in the UK.

Coun Paul Mercer, the council’s lead member for housing, said: ““The housing options team are focused on supporting people in need of help on a day to day basis and trying to engage with those that decline help”.

Peter Davey, chief officer of Loughborough homeless charity, The Bridge, said: “Rough sleeping is the most dangerous form of homelessness and it is always difficult to accurately count the numbers of people sleeping rough at any one time. We work closely with the borough council and other partners to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of such a complex client group.”