‘Not a good look’ - Call for action over rough sleepers bedding down in seaside shelters

Redcar and Cleveland Council said it had reached out to help the individuals, but they had turned down offers of support. The council described them as homeless, but Councillor Chris Jones said he had been told some had bedsit accommodation.

Coun Jones said: “Visitors use these shelters to enjoy ice creams or fish and chips and I’ve seen evidence of people urinating in them, which is obviously disgusting, and taking class A drugs in them, which is illegal.”

The councillor described passing the shelters on the Esplanade and witnessing one man smoking a crack pipe. He also said the individuals would shout and swear while intoxicated, which could be intimidating for anyone in the vicinity.

The wooden shelters were erected in 2013 and have been subject to periodic attacks in which they have been set ablaze – the latest occurring less than a week ago – leaving the council to stump up thousands of pounds for repairs.

After contacting the council, Coun Jones said a senior director had arranged a meeting with a homelessness team employed by the local authority, with other stakeholders, including Cleveland Police, also set to be involved in a bid to find solutions.

But the meeting would not take place until next month with Coun Jones stating matters needed to be addressed more urgently.

The Liberal Democrat councillor, who represents the West Dyke ward in Redcar, said he was concerned for the welfare of the individuals and acknowledged that there was a difficulty if they would not engage with the authorities.

He said: “When you go into a supported housing programme, for instance, you are not permitted to use drugs or be constantly intoxicated with alcohol. Yes some of the individuals involved are homeless, but others not, I’ve been told some who have been sleeping there actually have bedsits.

“Just to move them on would mean just moving the problem to another place, they need help to get out of the spiral of non-functional lives that they are living, but you can’t force people to accept help, which makes it a difficult problem to manage.”

Coun Jones described the rough sleepers as an “encampment” and said there was a detrimental impact on the seafront and the perception of visitors.

He also pointed out that they were just yards away from where construction was taking place on a new anchor leisure attraction for the town on the site of the former Marks & Spencer and Goodwins buildings, one of a number of regeneration projects that have been undertaken in the area.

Coun Jones added: “Recently with the nice weather we have had on some days I have seen lots of visitors, along with large groups of students with teachers on school field trips. This is not a good look for our town when we are trying to increase visitor numbers and overnight stays.”

In a statement Councillor Ursula Earl, the cabinet member for health and welfare, said the council shared Coun Jones’ concerns.

She said: “We have visited the shelters a number of times this month to offer support, but unfortunately the individuals declined our assistance and are not willing to engage with us. Some individuals found at the shelters were from a neighbouring local authority area and we have informed our colleagues there.

“We will continue to offer support to secure settled accommodation where the individual is willing to engage with services and will do everything within our powers to help. Whilst the council’s primary aim is to ensure suitable support, both the council and police have powers under a Public Spaces Protection Order should the individuals cause significant and persistent anti-social behaviour.”

Coun Earl said it was understood the appearance of the seafront mattered to people, but also referred to homelessness as “devastating, dangerous and isolating”.

She added: “People sleeping on the street are 17 times more likely to have been victims of violence. The suicide rate of homeless people is also nine times higher than the general population.

“Senior management at the council will be going out with the housing advice and Information team to understand the scale of the problem better and will also be calling a meeting of key agencies, including Cleveland Police, thereafter to look at how and if we can collectively come up with solutions to address the concerns.”