Mayor: We won’t treat homeless people like criminals
ANDY Burnham has said he will never support any initiative that criminalises homeless people.
The Greater Manchester mayor spoke out after the council proposed plans to crackdown on anti-social behaviour with the use of public spaces protection orders (PSPO).
If agreed, the scheme – which is out to public consultation – would allow Manchester council to hit people with on-the-spot fines of £100, rising to £1,000 in court if unpaid.
The proposal to combat anti-social behaviour and aggressive begging has sparked a lively debate among homelessness campaigners, politicians and rough sleepers themselves – who say there is no point fining people with no money.
Mr Burnham has also spoken out about the scheme, insisting that the proposal is not about criminalising rough sleepers.
However, he added that intimidating and aggressive behaviour is unacceptable. Speaking at the launch of the combined authority’s Housing First scheme, Mr Burnham said: “It’s a consultation so it isn’t a decision.
“And it’s not about criminalising people who are sleeping rough or people who have got nowhere else to go. That’s absolutely not what this is about. And actually it’s not about rough sleeping necessarily.”
The mayor gave further details of the £7.6m housing scheme on Thursday, which will work to find 400 homes for people who have ‘fallen through the gaps’ over the next three years.
The model has been used in Helsinki, in Finland, where rough sleeping has been almost eradicated.
Mr Burnham said the region’s combined authority, in partnership with GMP and the city council adopts a ‘supportive approach to homelessness.
He said: “We’re very clear that the approach that we adopt here is a very supportive approach and that’s agreed between ourselves, GMP and Manchester Council. We offer people help and we put in place offers of support for them – that’s what a Bed Every Night is about and it’s also what this Housing First proposal is about.
“I would want to make this very clear and I’m a consultee to the consultation that’s been launched, so I have to make my views clear. I will never support any move that criminalises or allows people to be harassed or gone after for the simple fact that they have nowhere else to go – they should be treated fairly and humanely.
“Now at the same time, of course, there are standards of behaviour that should apply to everybody and it shouldn’t be the case that intimidatory or aggressive behaviour is accepted by anybody.
“People need to go about their business in the city centre and they need to be mindful of each other.
“I think that’s what this is saying, it’s not about targeting or punishing rough sleepers.”