Priest speaks out about effects of cuts on homeless

A local Catholic priest continues to speak out against the Labour controlled council's cuts in provision for the homeless.

Father Paul Daly of St Joseph's, Heywood has been in constant dialogue with senior council officers and councillors.

The response from the Council is there was, in their opinion, an over provision (this view is contested by the Salvation Army, whose hostel at Providence House has been forced to close by the cuts) and the new policy is under constant review.

However, Father Daly remains deeply concerned about the effects of the cuts on some of the most vulnerable and needy in our society, he says: "Hitherto a variety of agencies in the Borough provided 426 people with floating support in their own tenancies and 146 were accommodated in homelessness projects. Once someone gets their own flat, from having been homeless, that is by no means the end of the matter; they need support with very practical issues, funding, budgeting, furnishing, substance and alcohol abuse. The alternative? They end up back on the streets.

"From being able to support 426 people (and there was a waiting list) RMBC cuts means that only 140 people will be helped. From 146 people accommodated in homelessness projects, RMBC cuts have meant that only 45 will be provided with supported accommodation.

"The Rough Sleeper Project, which was a team going out to engage with rough sleepers and try and persuade them off the streets, has been replaced by a system whereby rough sleepers are supposed to know or find the RMBC emergency social worker's number and phone them for an on-the-phone assesment of their degree of vulnerability. If they pass, RMBC will book them in at a B and B or even the Broadfield Hotel; if they fail the phone test, then they will be given helpful advice but no actual help.

"One leading agency in the Borough insist that less than one third of the 'non-statutory homeless' (which includes some rough sleepers, ex-prisoners and families) will get help. Already we have seen an increase in those needing help and the cuts have yet to properly bite."