Rough sleepers given a roof over their heads

With the cold snap set to continue this weekend, Exeter City Council has announced that it will continue to introduce extra measures to bring rough sleepers inside.

The council is to extend its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) until Monday January 15, when it will again look at the weather conditions and review the policy if needed.

The Protocol makes extra emergency accommodation available to rough sleepers. It was activated first on Friday 5 January.

Cllr Martin Pearce, Lead Councillor for Communities and Homelessness Prevention, said: “Every night that someone is forced to sleep rough on our streets puts them at risk. With the dip in temperatures expected over the next few nights, that risk increases.

“We will be providing additional emergency bed spaces during this cold spell to help reduce the chance of harm. I’d like to thank all those working in the homelessness prevention teams, without their sound planning and swift action these emergency beds would not be available.”

The Council is reminding members of the public that they can report someone they believe to be rough sleeping to Streetlink at https://www.streetlink.org.uk/

The SWEP means that individuals confirmed by the outreach service – working with other local homelessness partner agencies - as sleeping rough in the city, will be contacted and offered the opportunity to come indoors during this spell of cold weather, where spaces are available.

The Council works hard with partners in the city to make extra accommodation available during particularly cold weather.