Group renews call for night shelter for homeless

A campaign group is continuing to push for a permanent night shelter for rough sleepers - despite the council saying it has no plans to introduce one.

Christian organisation The Way Ministry Reading held a public meeting on Saturday to discuss what it called the "hidden" scale of homelessness in the town.

Tents have been appearing in the car park at Reading's Broad Street Mall, off Portman Road, and in Broad Street, sparking concerns about the number of rough sleepers.

Reading Borough Council said it did not want to see anyone sleeping rough and that it offered a "comprehensive package of support" that is "over and above" that offered by many other authorities.

Grace Gomez, head of The Way Ministry, led the meeting at Fairview Community Centre.

"We're a really affluent town and there are lots of flats and houses going up," she told the BBC.

"But there isn't anywhere for people who find themselves homeless to go and shelter at night."

Gomez said a night shelter would ensure people facing sudden changes in circumstances had somewhere safe to stay while getting back on their feet.

She said some people did not qualify for support from the council and were therefore forced to sleep rough.

"If you're pregnant, you are a care leaver or you have dependents – and there are a few other criteria – then the council owe you a duty of care and have to house you," she said.

"But if you don't fall into that category then unfortunately you have to fend for yourself… and that's why people are ending up on the streets."

Reading Borough Council, which would not commit to plans to build a night shelter, said the authority already provided extensive support.

A spokesperson said it had commissioned a St Mungo's outreach team, worked year-round to identify people's needs and helped them access accommodation, although offers of support were "not always taken up".

Further provision included winter shelters run by the charity FAITH and more than 270 supported bed spaces for people sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness, the council said.

The spokesperson added: "National best practice and the Government's Operating Principles for Night Shelters state that councils should prioritise self-contained accommodation, rather than permanent communal shelters."

They said this was in addition to the council's Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), which provides emergency accommodation during prolonged freezing temperatures, and encouraged members of the public to report concerns through StreetLink.

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