Outrage as Milton Keynes Council admits it destroys homeless people’s tents

[Tony Gosling]

Outrage as Milton Keynes Council admits it destroys homeless people’s tents

http://streetskitchen.co.uk/outrage-as-milton-keynes-council-admit-it-destroys-homeless-peoples-tents/

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Posted on Jul 21st, 2016 in 
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Residents have expressed their outrage that the 
tents of the homeless are being cleared up by 
Milton Keynes Council, and some have even had 
eviction notices put on them, despite these tents 
being issued by charities and organisations 
trying to help homeless people the city.

The issue was highlighted and debated for hours 
at 
a<http://streetskitchen.co.uk/outrage-as-milton-keynes-council-admit-it-destroys-homeless-peoples-tents/http://www.onemk.co.uk/milton-keynes-homelessness-3-ways-milton-keynes-council-aim-to-tackle-crisis/story-29475210-detail/story.html> 
Housing and Community Committee at Milton Keynes 
Council Civic Offices last night Thursday (July 14) that OneMK attended.

homeless not a crime


The meeting’s aim was to discuss the ‘One Stop 
Shop’ for homeless people proposed in 
<http://streetskitchen.co.uk/outrage-as-milton-keynes-council-admit-it-destroys-homeless-peoples-tents/http://www.onemk.co.uk/milton-keynes-homelessness-3-ways-milton-keynes-council-aim-to-tackle-crisis/story-29475210-detail/story.html>Milton 
Keynes Councils 2016/17 and future plan.

The issue surrounding the tents was highlight by 
Helen Wilson from the MK Green Party.

She said: “I am really concerned of the waste of 
resources, giving people tents and then the 
Council coming a long and clearing them away.

“This money spent on tents by organisations and 
charities could be going on a night shelter.

“The Council have even put eviction notices on 
tents, and often homeless people have not only 
lost all their possessions that were inside but 
also lost family photos when they were cleared away.”

Residents and councillors added to the outrage of 
this, with Councillor Alice Jenkins, from the 
Danesborough and Walton ward, giving an emotional 
comment that: “If the Council can spend 
£2.5million on air conditioning they can find money to help the homelessness

“I am shocked and disgusted that eviction notices are going on tents.”

For many shocked councillors this was the first 
they had heard of this action, and in response 
Duncan Sharkey, corporate director at the 
Council, said: “We do clear tents and we will 
keep clearing tents, because we don’t support the 
use of tents in the public places they are springing up.

“We are trying to balance out the needs of a 
wider community. If we let people stay in tents 
we get complaints from many other people.

“Where we get complaints you can make your own 
valued judgement, but we have to make decisions 
when people disagree, there are people who think 
people living in a tent near them is a problem.

“And we are trying to extend the offer we have got.

“We don’t disagree that facilities aren’t good enough.”

Despite some fierce debates throughout the 
evening, what everyone did agree on was that 
there is not one solution and a lot needs to me 
done now, before this Winter claims more lives, 
and we need more action than discussion in Milton Keynes.

source: 
<http://streetskitchen.co.uk/outrage-as-milton-keynes-council-admit-it-destroys-homeless-peoples-tents/http://www.onemk.co.uk/8203-outrage-from-residents-as-milton-keynes-council-admit-it-destroys-homeless-people-s-tents/story-29515395-detail/story.html#MAcE5VweraQwlyHy.99>oneMK
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