Agenda item

Councillor Payne in the absence of the Chairman of the task group (Councillor Savage)

Councillor Payne would present this item on behalf of Councillor Savage who had chaired the task group but was not able to attend the meeting. 

Councillor Payne wished to put on record, his thanks to Councillor Savage and Saira Malin, Democracy Officer, for drafting what he considered to be an excellent report and one which he was pleased to be able to present to the committee.  It was clear to members, residents and businesses that the number of people begging, sleeping and drinking on the streets in Cheltenham had risen over the last year and this was not to the advantage of anyone, including those exhibiting these behaviours.  At the first meeting of the task group, it was evident that street people presented a wide variety and complexity of issues and that there was no single solution.  He noted, however, that not all were vulnerable and in fact a large proportion of the 12 or so individuals on the streets of Cheltenham, were not in fact homeless and were instead begging to fund a drug or alcohol addiction.  In view of the fact that some individuals travelled between Cheltenham and Gloucester and having discussed some of the successes that Gloucester City had achieved as part of Project Solace, the group decided it needed to meet with representatives of the project.  Managed by Gloucester City Council and Gloucestershire Constabulary, and delivered by a team of three, including two seconded Police Officers, the team engaged with those that that took responsibility for their actions and supported individuals to address the root causes of anti-social behaviour, in a co-ordinated way.  Where individuals would not engage and anti-social behaviour persisted, enforcement was taken, but it had been reassuring for the group that this was a last resort, with enforcement action only having been taken against 2 individuals since the projects inception.  The task group were made aware that the council was already considering a business case for joining the Solace partnership and felt that this would provide an effective solution by increasing resources for Cheltenham and ensuring a co-ordinated approach.  On the 11 April 2017, Cabinet agreed that Cheltenham would join the Solace partnership and the task group were in full support of this decision, given the conclusions it had already drawn on the issue.  In closing, Councillor Payne commented that with a better understanding of the issue and as part of Solace, the council were well placed to move forward and tackle the issues in a way that Police action could not, as it was self-defeating to fine someone that was begging on the street, although this would continue to be used as a last resort.  He was pleased to be able to table this report and hoped that members would support the recommendations.  

A number of members commended the report, which demonstrated the sensitive and measured approach that the task group had adopted when undertaking this review and voiced their support for Cheltenham having joined the Solace partnership. 

In response to a member question, Councillor Payne confirmed that Solace were sharing the message that members of the public should not give money to people on the street and instead donate to an appropriate charity, but the task group had acknowledged that this would need to be an ongoing campaign rather than a one-off. 

The Chairman welcomed the report and recommendations and suggested that tougher laws were required as the Vagrancy Act 1824 was outdated and perhaps this was something that should be raised with the Local Government Association. 

Upon a vote it was unanimously

RESOLVED that the task group recommendations as set out in the report be endorsed and recommend to Cabinet for approval.

Overview and Scrutiny recommends:

1. Reducing the number of street people in Cheltenham should be a priority for this authority, benefiting not on the street people but also residents and local businesses, as well as the town itself

2. An integrated, co-ordinated multi agency approach is required, with close partnership working and appropriate information

3. This authority is well placed to assume a co-ordinating role

4. The adoption of a Project Solace model or similar approach in Cheltenham