Burnley councillor demands action be taken over town's 'rising homeless problem'

A councillor has joined growing calls for a night shelter for rough sleepers to be opened in Burnley.
There are calls for a night shelter for rough sleepers in Burnley to be opened. Photo: GettyThere are calls for a night shelter for rough sleepers in Burnley to be opened. Photo: Getty
There are calls for a night shelter for rough sleepers in Burnley to be opened. Photo: Getty

Coun. Afrasiab Anwar is urging colleagues to back a motion this evening at Burnley Full Council asking for "'immediate steps" to be taken in tackling homelessness across the borough.

He said issue showed no sign of going away, and the provision of a night shelter was now of paramount importance.

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"We have a duty of care. We have a responsibility," said Coun. Anwar, who represents the Bank Hall ward for Labour. "I did the Turf Moor sleep out in November and it really opened my eyes. After this I started noticing more rough sleepers around the town.

Pastor Mick FlemingPastor Mick Fleming
Pastor Mick Fleming

"The work Pastor Mick Fleming is doing, along with all the voluntary groups, is incredible. But as a council and a local authority, I know we can do more. This is not an issue that can be ignored, and it is not something the community sector should be having to be pick up. We need to work with them in making this night shelter a reality.

"I would hope this motion gets passed tonight and then the Executive is able to find some money within the budget to help."

A night shelter would offer rough sleepers an unconditional room for the night. They would be given a shower, a brew and a bed, before being sent on their way in the morning following breakfast.

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Recent figures have the number of rough sleepers in Burnley at 11 – up from one the year before.

Pastor Mick Fleming, who leads the Church on the Street ministry, said this number was a complete fallacy and the problem was only getting worse.

"These counts are not the slightest bit accurate. They do the count over one day in November and the criteria is that a person has to be out in the open and bedded down. It's November. Everybody is tucked away out of sight.

"Even if we go off these figures though, that is a 1000% increase on the year before. That is a huge jump and shows how bad the problem is getting.,

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"The motion is a step in the right direction. We want to work with the council, for all I care they can run the night shelter themselves. It has to happen though. There are a holes in the net. People are dropping through and all we want to do is make these holes smaller.

"A night shelter would see Burnley's rough sleeping problem solved overnight.