Express & Star

Number of people rough sleeping in Wolverhampton falls, figures suggest

The number of rough sleepers in Wolverhampton has fallen by nearly two thirds over the last year, bucking the regional trend.

Published
Some of the tents off Stafford Road

The West Midlands has been plunged into a homelessness crisis, with rough sleeper numbers up by 42 per cent.

But in Wolverhampton the numbers have dropped from from 33 in April 2018 to just 12 last month.

Bosses at Wolverhampton Council put the dramatic reduction down to the success of a city-wide task force that was set up to tackle rough sleeping, although they insist there is still more work to do to wipe out the problem.

It came after concerns were highlighted by the tented village off Stafford Road.

Thousands of cars pass the camp of tents pitched up among trees and undergrowth.

The Express & Star highlighted the issue last month in a bid to bring awareness as outreach workers came forward to offer support.

Council leader Roger Lawrence identified tackling rough sleeping as a priority and launched a task force in July 2017.

People have raised concerns asking for those living in these conditions to receive support

He put the fall in rough sleepers down to the council working closely with police, voluntary and community groups, and the city centre BID.

He said: "This shows how good quality partnership working can help deliver a real change to the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

"Rough sleepers often have multiple and differing issues that we have to address.

"We know that prevention and early intervention are absolutely crucial to stop people from getting stuck in a cycle that they can't get out of."

Government figures show the number of people sleeping rough in England fell by two per cent over the last year to 4,667, although it represents a rise of almost 3,000 since 2010.

Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds said: "I'm afraid the Government's record on rough sleeping is appalling.

"I'm really pleased that Wolverhampton is bucking the trend.

"The only reason the city has been able to do that is through the leadership of Roger Lawrence and the council in bringing all the relevant agencies together to get people off the streets."

Over the last year Wolverhampton housed six long term rough sleepers, in advance of the roll out of the Housing First scheme which will see the city allocate 30 properties to people living on the streets.

The city also runs an alternative giving campaign, which allows people to make direct donations to meet the long-term needs of homeless people, rather than continue their cycle of dependency.

A new council report on rough sleeping said "more needs to be done" to tackle the issue, and comes after people were found living in a tented village off Stafford Road.

The task force's findings are set to be fully incorporated into a new city homeless prevention strategy.

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