Westminster Council

After cutting £5 million from the budget of homeless hostels in the borough, Conservative Westminster Council is now bringing out a new bylaw. It will be an offence punishable by a fine to: "Sleep or lie down, deposit materials used as bedding" and to "give out , or permit another to give out food for free".

Way to go Westminster Council kick all the homeless out on to the street and then fine them for being there. The thing is I'd like to know how they can legislate that I can't give a hungry person something to eat on the street. Does this mean if I go to London on a day trip I can't give my grandchildren anything to eat on the street?

Phil

With so much serious and an even greater amount of petty crime occuring all over the country, every second of every day, it's nice to know there are still some city locations that have the resources to enforce laws regarding the passing of food from one person to another.

I would like to know what exactly is meant by "free", and does "permit another" mean that anyone present at the time of said giving of free food would have to intervene to prevent it?

Volty

It's obviously a ploy to move the homeless on out of the district, so then after the surrounding districts are overrun they in turn will bring out new laws. The eventual result is they end up in Birmingham.

Phil

Probably right back from whence they came then Phil.

Thats probably true, though the reason why anybody would want to go to London to live on the streets escapes me.

Phil

Paved with Gold old chap. Not to mention a few other deposits.

Of course they could all be given Council Houses, oh I forgot there isn't any. Except the ones that have been vacated by the people who have lost their jobs and couldn't pay the rent.

The trouble with today there are too many official departments like the HSE & Social Services sticking their noses in everywhere. Whats wrong with filling some of these old factories up with ex hospital beds and laying some basics amenities on and then hand it over to the homeless. It would be better than sleeping on the streets.

Phil

Didn't Dame Shirley Porter sell most of the social houseing stock illegally to keep the riff raff out and increase the Tory vote .
Bernie

Yes she did, and then ran off to Isreal to avoid paying £27 for her crooked activities, and before she could be strung up . Because Isreal allowed her to stay (bit like Libya used to do for their friends) the authorities believed her stories of not having the money (after transferring large sums to the rest of her dubious family) she ended only paying £12 miliion. Obviously Tesco took a leaf out of the book of their founder's daughter when they carried out their own recent dubious financial manipulations to avoid paying the taxes that they should.

Yes as always the rich will do anything to hang on to their ill gotten gains.

Phil

Posted by phil

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The trouble with today there are too many official departments like the HSE & Social Services sticking their noses in everywhere. Whats wrong with filling some of these old factories up with ex hospital beds and laying some basics amenities on and then hand it over to the homeless. It would be better than sleeping on the streets.

Phil

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There is a Street guy ( Big Issue seller ) that I chat to and have for many months. he has stayed in hostels and accommodation supplied by various charities. He always maintains that he would rather sleep on the street. In most hostels, theft etc is rife. Personal safety is another major worry. It's not easy to sleep when you can't trust anyone around you. SB

SB

I understand that and it is a valid worry to those on those circumstances, but having experienced sleeping in hostels, outdoors and in squats through choice rather than necessity I can tell you that there are times when a roof over your heads can allay even the most severest of fears.

Phil

I take your point Phil, but I would imagine when you did it, the hostel didn't have all sorts of foreigners staying there. Now I'm not suggesting they are all criminals but being in that situation could well be scary.

SB

Believe me it is all well and fine in the summer, and back in the 60's the summer was much better and drier than it is now. Besides when the winter started to creep in you could always head for home or get a proper job (as your parents would call it) and get a flat through the winter. Believe me nobody wants to be sleeping out doors when the temperature drops below freezing. Just remember that some people have no choice, because of certain social problems they are not accepted by hostels or as you stated they don't trust them. Just moving them on because they affect the tourist trade is not the answer.

Phil