Wrexham has one of the highest rate of rough sleeping in Wales, according to new figures out today.
Shocking statistics revealed a “snapshot count” showing the county recorded the joint-highest rate of 2.9 rough sleepers per 10,000 households – the same as Cardiff.
During a survey carried out between 11pm on November 25 and 3am on November 26, 2015, 17 people were spotted bedding down outside in Wrexham.
Among the three other authorities with rates above the Wales average of 0.6 per 10,000 households was Conwy.
Based on evidence gathered from organisations working with homeless people, Wrexham estimated there were 31 people sleeping rough over a two-week period in November, the second highest rate in Wales at 5.3 per 10,000 households, followed by Gwynedd andDenbighshire both with a rate of 4.9 estimated rough sleepers per 10,000 households.
Only two counties in North Wales reported having emergency beds – Denbighshire with just seven and Wrexham with 16, of which just two were available in each local authority, not enough to meet the need in Wrexham.
There were no rough sleepers in Denbighshire on the night of the count on November 25, last year, but there were five in Conwy and one in Flintshire.
But there were no emergency beds in Conwy or Flintshire.
'Snapshot estimates'
The number of rough sleepers in Wales may have risen by a quarter since 2008.
A survey of people sleeping rough during the night of November 25 found 82 people settling down for the night in the open air.
In comparison, similar surveys in March 2007 and 2008 found 69 and 65 people respectively, potentially indicating a growing level of rough sleeping in Wales.
But the counts are “snapshot estimates” and can provide only a very broad indication of the numbers of rough sleepers across the county on the night of the count.
The report states many rough sleepers may choose places to sleep which avoid the risk of being detected and the numbers do not take into account people staying in hostels or night shelters, sofa surfers, people in campsite, squatters or travellers.
The Welsh Government also gathered information from local agencies, health organisations and other community service groups in contact with rough sleepers between November 2-15, 2015, who estimated 240 people were sleeping rough across Wales over this period.
In 2015 local authorities also reported there were 180 emergency bed spaces across Wales of which 19 bed spaces (11%) were vacant and available for use on November 25, last year, the night of the snapshot count.
The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 which became law in Wales on 17 September 2014 puts more emphasis on Local Authorities working to relieve homelessness and prevent it from reoccurring.
The rough sleeping monitoring exercise was developed by the Rough Sleeper Working Group (RSWG) which includes members from Rough Sleepers Cymru, Welsh Government, Cymorth Cymru, Welsh Loval Government Association (WLGA), and the Local Authority Network.
Andy Roberts, from Clwyd Alyn Housing Association which runs the Ty Nos Night Shelter, said: “It’s not a surprise that Wrexham has the highest rate of rough sleeping in Wales.
“We have 16 emergency beds but quite often they are all full. In the last year 93.82% of beds were full.
“The rough sleeping problem in the town is likely to be even worse than the figures are showing.”
see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wrexham-rough-sleepers-rate-among-10843412
No comments:
Post a Comment