Leighton Buzzard’s rough sleepers need more support says council

Rough sleepers on the streets of Leighton Buzzard and Linslade need more support, the town’s council has said.

And in a unanimous vote at Leighton Linslade Town Council last week, town councillors called for talks with Central Bedfordshire Council to create more facilities for rough sleepers in the area.

There has been no accommodation locally for rough sleepers since the closure of the Black Horse shelter in 2021. Councillors are concerned that people on its streets do not want to use the closest shelter, which is in Dunstable.

Cllr Pat Carberry who proposed the motion, said the council was calling for a review of services after seeing an increase of rough sleepers in the town.

"We are calling for a review of what resources we have to support people who are rough sleepers,” he said. “There is very little accommodation available. We need to support the individual, it’s not just ‘let’s get them off the streets and out of sight’.”

He said there had been a noticeable increase of rough sleepers in the area, particularly around High Street. “We want to find out how bad the situation is. It’s about trying to provide support so that so-one is left behind.”

In the motion the council states: ‘The reasons around why people find themselves homeless are often complex and linked to addiction, mental health, financial hardship or change in domestic arrangement. Some of these circumstances are easier to fix than others and early intervention with support can make an enormous difference to ensuring these people can continue to be stable and productive members of our community.

"Our town council recognises that resources for support have limitations. However we also recognises that there is a significant cost to the public purse addressing the impact that rough sleepers leave when utilising public spaces to seek shelter and basic natural function. There is opportunity to reduce the impact by early intervention but no one should be written off and this council stands by the principle that people should not be forced to sleep on the streets.’

A spokesperson for Central Bedfordshire Council said: “We have seen an increase in the number of people sleeping rough over the past 18 months, and we monitor these numbers weekly.

“We commission services who can reach out to anyone sleeping rough, assess their immediate needs and offer support. This could range from signposting to specialist support services or arranging short-term accommodation while working towards a longer-term solution.

“Rough sleeping is a complex issue, caused by a number of factors which could include things like substance abuse, mental health challenges or financial issues, as well as problems around anti-social behaviour. Therefore, addressing the issue of someone sleeping rough requires a joined-up approach from many different organisations including the police and health services as well as various teams within the Council. We will continue to work with these partners to help anyone who finds themselves sleeping on the streets.”