EMERGENCY beds will be provided to people experiencing rough sleeping in Oxford this winter.
Oxford City Council has confirmed it secured a minimum of 30 bed spaces across venues in central and east Oxford.
The council activates its severe weather emergency protocol (SWEP) during freezing weather, providing emergency accommodation for anyone experiencing rough sleeping – including people who have no right to claim benefits or housing in the UK or who have refused offers of accommodation and support.
Councillor Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing, said: “We believe that nobody should have to sleep rough in Oxford and SWEP can offer a vital lifeline for people at risk during freezing winter weather. SWEP also gives us the chance to offer them the support they might need to leave the streets behind for good.
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“SWEP relies on people in Oxford’s homelessness services stepping up and taking on extra shifts on top of their day jobs, and I’m grateful for everyone helping us to deliver emergency beds this winter.”
Meanwhile, Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran has condemned the Government’s plans to replace the Vagrancy Act, which made rough sleeping a criminal offence for almost 200 years.
The act made it illegal to sleep rough and beg in the UK and was introduced at the same time as the wars against Napoleonic France.
In April, a long-running campaign to scrap it saw it repealed in England and Wales as part of the Policing, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act.
But Michael Gove’s new Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill contains a clause that would allow the government to “disregard the repeal of the Act” and create “criminal offences or civil penalties” relating to begging or people deemed to be “rogues and vagabonds”.
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Ms Moran said: “I am delighted that we have succeeded again in overturning the cruel and archaic Vagrancy Act. The government has finally seen sense on this piece of legislation which should never have been re-introduced.
“But while we can celebrate this victory, the powers in the Vagrancy Act are still being used by police up and down the country. While the government drags its feet on bringing in unnecessary alternative legislation, homeless people across the country are still threatened with arrest.
“As the cost of living crisis worsens and homelessness rates are on the rise, this Conservative government is simply not doing enough to support rough sleepers.
“I will continue to campaign to ensure the government can never criminalise someone just because they don’t have a place to sleep, and hold them to account on their commitment to ending rough sleeping for good.”
If you are concerned about someone experiencing rough sleeping, you can contact St Mungo’s on 07590 862049 or by emailing Outreach.Oxford@mungos.org
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This story was written by Anna Colivicchi, she joined the team this year and covers health stories for the Oxfordshire papers.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Anna.colivicchi@newsquest.co.uk
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