Two rough sleepers turned away from shelter due to error

Two rough sleepers were turned away from an overnight shelter in Peterborough due to a “breakdown in communication.”

Peterborough City Council has apologised after the two people were refused entry to Fair View Court at 1 Oundle Road in Woodston.

A spokesman said: “There was a situation on Monday where two people were turned away from Fair View Court.

“This was due to a breakdown in communication where the belief was the maximum capacity for overnight shelter was for 12 people, not for 18.

“We have since clarified this with the facility to ensure this does not happen again and can only apologise for this incident as the safety of all rough sleepers in our city is of paramount importance.”

Due to the freezing temperatures the council has also opened daytime provision for rough sleepers at St Mark’s Church in Lincoln Road, in partnership with Light Project Peterborough.

The facility will be open from 9am until 6pm for the next 10 days, with the situation reviewed daily.

The council spokesman said outreach officers are talking to rough sleepers and making sure they are safe and aware of what daytime and nighttime provision there is for them.

Should the extra shelter at Fair View Court be used up, there will be more availability at Children of Adam, a charity based in Lincoln Road.

The spokesman added: “We have not yet got to a position where there is insufficient provision to meet nighttime demand, but we are reviewing the need on a day by day basis.”