Rough sleeper numbers plummet in lockdown
Positive news as city’s homeless count is 66 per cent down
THE number of rough sleepers in Birmingham plummeted by two-thirds during the pandemic. The number counted as sleeping outdoors on a single night in the city last November was 17, compared to 91 the year before – a 66 per cent fall.
A total of 44 homeless people were found on the streets across the whole region during the count.
It followed a drive to place every rough sleeper into a Covid-19 secure hostel or hotel.
Councillor Sharon Thompson, cabinet member for homes and neighbourhoods at Birmingham City Council, said: “This has been an unprecedented year so I particularly want to thank our partners across the city during what has been an incredibly testing time.
“The council, stakeholders, partners and community-based groups as well as our frontline staff and volunteers have done a fantastic job supporting people sleeping rough through the pandemic.
“Whilst we have seen positive strides as a city and region, we have still not seen the true impact of Covid on homelessness which will only
become clear after lockdown is lifted.”
The count took place on the night of November 19, with partners and specialists taking to the streets to document who was sleeping rough. Councillor Thompson added: “The current economic downturn could have huge consequences when it comes to homelessness in the future. The government must prioritise prevention now to stop people becoming homeless in the first place.
“We now need to work nationally together across authorities and government
departments to prevent people going back on the streets or becoming homeless, especially important given the big rise in unemployment.
“This means learning the lessons from the pandemic and making services, national funding and policies fit for purpose so we can meet the new challenges that the next year will bring and put an end once and for all to rough sleeping on the streets.”
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “I am delighted we have seen another significant reduction in the number of rough sleepers across the West Midlands, which shows what can be achieved through collaborative working.
“From local councils and the West Midlands Combined Authority, to homelessness charities and Government, we would not have been able to help the number of rough sleepers we have without the whole region working in partnership.
“To go from nearly 170 rough sleepers in 2018 to less than 45 in 2020 is a phenomenal achievement. “Clearly the Government’s Everyone In initiative throughout the coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact...but we would not have been able to make the reductions we have without the hard work and dedication of local authorities and their outreach teams, as well as pioneering schemes such as Housing First – which has now helped more than 350 people into permanent accommodation with wrap-around support – and Change into Action.
“But, however well the region may have done over the last two years, it is far from job done. We remain determined to continue to tackle rough sleeping, but we must be supported by Government funding to ensure we build on the work we have done.”
BUSINESS Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is to meet a Birmingham MP and union representatives to discuss saving 519 jobs at GKN Automotive.
The meeting, this Thursday (March 4), comes after the engineering firm announced it was closing its plant in Chester Road, Erdington.
The job cuts were raised in the House of Commons by Erdington MP Jack Dromey (Lab), who said: “For half a century the GKN plant in Erdington has manufactured world class components.”
GKN, one of the UK’s oldest engineering companies, was sold to investment firm Melrose Industries for £8.1 billion.
Mr Dromey said Melrose were exporting 519 skilled jobs to continental Europe “in breach of assurances that were given at the time of the takeover”.
He asked: “Will the Secretary of State, who has agreed to meet with us on Thursday of this week, work with us on alternatives to closure. The workforce, the union Unite and myself.”
He said the car industry would be increasingly focused on manufacturing electric vehicles which would
require high value components, adding: “Those high value components should be built here in Britain.”
Mr Kwarteng, the member of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet responsible for business, said: “I’m delighted that I will be seeing him and others on Thursday to see what can be done in respect of this critical issue.”
Union Unite has said it is working on a rescue plan to secure the future of the plant, which produces drivelines for major automotive companies across the UK.
National officer Des Quinn said: “The Chester Road factory is a highly viable site and Unite is committed to
pursuing every option to keep open.”
The 2018 takeover was controversial, with local Labour MP Jack Dromey
(Lab Erdington) and trade union Unite calling on the Government to block it.
GKN staff were given the closure news late in January. A letter from GKN Automotive CEO Liam Butterworth said: “GKN
Automotive
it
has taken the difficult decision to propose the closure of our assembly site at Chester Road, Birmingham.
“Sadly, an increasingly competitive global market means that the site is no longer viable. This is despite significant effort and investment over the past 10 years to reduce the site’s high operating costs and make it competitive.
“Supporting our people is our first priority as we consult on this proposal. Employees at the site are being notified today and support is being made available to them throughout this process. We will then commence a period of consultation with the union and employee representatives in the coming weeks.
“We expect this proposal to impact 519 employees. The proposal envisages that GKN Automotive will carefully wind down the site over 18 months to ensure an orderly and stable transition of operations and give those affected time to find new work. The proposal is to transfer production to other sites in our network.”