My local council - Wycombe District Council - is thinking of introducing a £100 fine which will impact on the homeless and destitute in the area.

When I first read this news I thought it was a joke - but its not - they really are thinking of imposing this dreadful fine on people who can least afford anything! Guess who runs the Council - that wonderful and caring lot - the Tory party!

Anyway if you are as outraged as I am perhaps you can take a minute to sign the petition against - link below:-

https://www.change.org/p/wycombe-district-council-remove-the-plan-to-fine-homeless-people-in-the-area-100?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=340287&alert_id=ESerANrtjA_mbAlvMi5cDAP4YTr3wBMrnLHla60KfRt7%2BhxqZvtQbeJhI17vectQih11pm4dGJx

I suggest it is a way for the council to get the homeless person into the criminal justice system, so they can hopefully pass them onto some other government department to deal with them.

The downside to this plan is that they could end up with a worse problem of squatters gaining entry to empty private homes.

Silly idea really, as they think it will somehow cure the problem.

One of our local councilors response to the petition is quoted in full below:

"Hello,

You should be aware that NO ONE needs to sleep rough.

Every opportunity is offered to these people, you say who are in dire straits. A number of them refuse to take advantage of services provided by the Council and Homeless Connection. It is unfair to other residents and users of the town to be intimidated by these people saying they are homeless when indeed there are the necessary facilities available.

It is a known fact that these rough sleepers “earn” more from rough sleeping and begging than they would if they held down a full time job or indeed availed themselves of the various benefits.

It would appear that rough sleepers in this instance is a lifestyle choice.

Kind regards,

Lesley

Cllr. Mrs. Lesley Clarke OBE

Buckinghamshire County Council (Abbey Division)

Wycombe District Council (Abbey Ward)"

It is typical of the response from the more well off members of society in the area - most of whom were born with a silver spoon in their mouths and don't give a tinkers cuss about the less well off members of society whose lives are a struggle.

A big thank you to all those who have taken a few seconds out to sign the petition - very much appreciated. The more publicity this gets the more unlikely it will see light of day. Any one else contemplating signing please do as it will not take that many more for this to be fully discussed in a full council meeting.

That is an outrageous comment to make and I certainly hope the Councillor has the evidence to back up their comments in their constituency.

Getting a webserver error at the moment with your link in post#1 so will check it later.

Also do you have a weblink to the original article about the £100 fine?

The link to the petition seems to be down at the moment.

This is the story from our local rag - The Bucks Free Press:-

http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/13334284.__100_fines_for_sleeping_rough_or_skateboarding_in_public_under_new_council_plans/?ref=mr&lp=8

The petition link seems to be up and running again. So you don't have to scroll up here it is again:

https://www.change.org/p/wycombe-district-council-remove-the-plan-to-fine-homeless-people-in-the-area-100?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=340287&alert_id=ESerANrtjA_mbAlvMi5cDAP4YTr3wBMrnLHla60KfRt7%2BhxqZvtQbeJhI17vectQih11pm4dGJx

Some of the comments following the Bucks Free Press article are worth a read. I also think that Lesley Clarke the local councilor who made the ill advised comments will rue the day she made them!

There has been an update to the petition.

It's worth a read as it makes it clearer why the petition is aimed at Wycombe District Council who despite all their protestations tend to be rather lukewarm in response to 'social' questions like homelessness.

Anyway a big thank you to all Caggers who took a few seconds out to sign.

If you want to see the update click on the link in the first posting.

Hi aburobert

Now you didn't mention that, oh what a pleasant surprise that was to read and glad to see they seen the error of their ways.

Its nice to see something good come out of something so wrong.

Quick update from the local paper:

http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/13381339.Opposition_councillors_plan_protest_sleep_out_against_fining_homeless_people___100/

The petition has now passed the 4,000 mark. It may not seem a lot but for a 'local' issue it is a big number and is causing quite a stir locally - hence the local politicians who previously seemed unconcerned have started to jump on the bandwagon!

How would they chase the homeless person for the £100, if they have no assets and not even the basic they need to live on.

Somebody was not thinking properly when they thought this up. Pity they can't be fined for idiocy!

Petition duly signed.

How would they chase the homeless person for the £100, if they have no assets and not even the basic they need to live on.

 

Somebody was not thinking properly when they thought this up. Pity they can't be fined for idiocy!

They can....just dont vote them back in when the elections come round again!

This is a great idea! Well done to the Wycombe District Council!

Why not extend this project further and open some concentration camps where the unruly homeless will be humanely put to death, ideally run by G4A or Atos?

IDS are you listening? Jump on the bandwagon now!

Latest update:

https://www.change.org/p/wycombe-district-council-remove-the-plan-to-fine-homeless-people-in-the-area-100/u/11465800

Looks like the pressure and publicity has worked. Again many thanks to those Caggers who took the time out to show their concern and sign.

Hope the councillor who thought this was a good idea is feeling very embarrassed now.

There ARE plenty "Professional Beggars" claiming to be homeless, when in fact they have homes, and claim benefits, and I would have no problem with a law to clean them up, but this absolutely should not be used against the genuinely homeless, not all genuinely homeless people beg, and they certainly are not there by choice.

The irony is, if this is passed, when they fail to pay, they will be dragged to court (if they can even be find) and the Criminal Justice System will then look after them, and probation works will help to provide somewhere to live, something the Council should have done in the first place.

Genuinely Homeless people often commit a small crime, just to get a bed and a couple of hot meals down the local Police Station for the night, and it is disgraceful and shameful to our Society that people are even put in that situation and have to make that choice.

But for the Professionals who have a home, yeah, go for them, it is easy to check, the Council can contact DWP and their own Housing Benefit Department to find out if they are professional beggars with a home. Jobcentre should be looking at them too, income from Begging, if homes, probably exceeds what they can earn on JSA, thus, Fraud?

Thanks for the information. This is horrible indeed.

Hi Edward555

It may seem that simple but in reality it is completely different.

There are many many reasons for someone becoming homeless (as an example remember the banking crisis and the damage that caused) this is still been felt today by many that lost jobs, income, homes due to this.

There is a severe shortage of Social Housing.

Homeless shelters and charities can only deal with so many people and their budgets are being cut.

When they apply to the council for housing due to homelessness the wall comes up when the council say they are intentionally homeless so dont have to provide anything.

Go to the charity that you know and help them for a few days and speak to not just the charity workers but the people they help.