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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 29 June 2007

Sweeping statement untrue

• I TAKE exception to the accusations made about Westminster City Council last week (Homeless swept away ‘like trash’ June 22).
The council has successfully reduced the number of rough sleepers in the city to less than 100 this year, through effective mechanisms to help people escape life on the street.
The claim that we are “sweeping” the “homeless” off the streets ahead of official counts is utterly untrue and without foundation. Despite Tom Foot
receiving a statement from us to this effect, he failed to report it.
We informed Mr Foot that the police attended counts primarily to ensure the safety of those doing the counting. There was no evidence of their moving rough sleepers on to massage the figures and we use independent supervisors to verify the accuracy of the counts.
The central reason for Westminster’s success in bringing down the rough-sleeping numbers is the council’s use of Building Based Services whereby the council encourages rough sleepers to enter hostels and begin rebuilding their lives.
It is the council’s belief that there is no reason for people to live on the streets. There is enough hostel provision for all the rough sleepers whom we are legally able to help.
The exceptions are migrants from eastern European countries that have acceded to the EU since 2004 who are not entitled to the same services.
CLLR GWYNETH HAMPSON
Deputy Cabinet Member
for Housing
Westminster City Council

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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