Re: [Diggers350] Hackney abanons idea to fine homeless people up to £1000

[Fran]

Hackney Council have relented after massive public protest.
They now say they wont fine homeless people, instead the homeless will
be given advice.
time will tell if this acually takes place.


fran




On Thu, May 21, 2015 5:04 pm, Zardoz Greek zardos777 at yahoo.co.uk
[Diggers350] wrote:
< Homeless people in Hackney could be targeted by the Public Space
< Protection Order
< The London borough that has turned homeless people into 'criminals'
<
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-london-borough-that-has-turned-homeless-people-into-criminals-10265493.html
<
< Those caught rough sleeping and begging can be fined up to £1000 in
< Hackney
<
< By KASHMIRA GANDER
< Thursday 21 May 2015
< Homeless people face being criminalised in an east London borough due to a
< ban on anti-social behaviour, a charity has warned.
< Under the new Public Space Protection Order in force in Hackney, police
< and council officers have the power to stop activities deemed anti-social
< - including begging and sleeping rough.
< Those who are found to be breaking the rules could be handed a £100 fixed
< penalty notice, or fined as much as £1,000.
<
< Hackney Downs, London Fields, Broadway Market, Mare Street and Regents
< Canal are all covered by the order.
< Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of national homelessness charity Crisis, told
< The Hackney Citizen: “Any moves to ban and criminalise rough sleeping will
< be counter-productive and only make it harder for people to access the
< dedicated support they need to move away from the streets for good.”
<
< Read more: Canadian city (nearly) ends homelessness
< Londoners need to earn £27,000 a year to comfortably rent a flat
< 2015 likely to be the worst year on record for tenant evictions
<
< However, councillor Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor, defended the decision.
< She told the website: “We introduced this order after trying for months to
< deal with anti-social behaviour in the area – including offering support,
< housing and advice to those that are persistently sleeping rough.
< The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting
< 1 of 10
< The five best
< Next
< The five bestThe five bestThe five best The five best The five best The
< five worst The five worst The five worst The five worst The five worst
< “Enforcement action will always be the last resort.  We will continue to
< make sure anyone who is sleeping rough is offered professional help and
< support.”
< Her comments come after research revealed that a third of Londoners do not
< earn enough to afford a decent standard of living, and a person would need
< to ear £27,000 a year to comfortably rent a flat in the capital.




-- 
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" - Martin Luther King