The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
CITY COUNCIL UNDER FIRE OVER HOMELESS
Four “vulnerable” families from Peterborough who were moved almost 90 miles to stay in a Doncaster Travelodge caused so many problems that calls for help from the police spiked.
Senior officers at South Yorkshire Police realised there was a particular problem after the numbers of incidents around the town’s Travelodge spiralled.
Subsequent investigations found that Peterborough City Council was using the hotel to put up families with problems because of accommodation shortages in Peterborough.
The situation was revealed by Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts at a meeting of the Public Accountability Board hosted by South Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings.
Mr Roberts said “vulnerable people” were being sent to the Travelodge without the local authority being informed.
He added: “It is not fair to the vulnerable person who is given a train ticket and pointed north.
“It is not fair on staff in the Travelodge. It is not fair on other residents. It is not fair on our staff.”
Dr Billings told Mr Roberts: “It is scandalous what you have described.”
In response to the matter, Peterborough City Council’s cabinet member for housing Cllr Peter Hiller said: “I agree we could have worked closer with the council in Doncaster while supporting these four families, who are now back in Peterborough.
“At the time following assessment with the families we did not anticipate any support from authorities in Doncaster was needed.
“If we had concerns we would have raised them. Shortages in emergency accommodation, homelessness and housing are national problems affecting all local authorities.
“We want to avoid situations like this in future and want a long term solution.
“We have raised these issues nationally, along with many other councils and the LGA (Local Government Association) and we are working hard to increase the supply of both temporary and permanent housing in Peterborough.”