Kingsway rough sleeping site
Posted on Wednesday 12th February 2020
Newport City Council is tidying up a site near a busy city centre road following complaints from the public.
Rubbish, waste and unwanted items are being removed from the Kingsway site which is being used by people sleeping rough.
To enable the work to take place as quickly and safely as possible, one lane of the A4042 will be closed from 9.30am to approximately10.30am on Thursday 13 February 2020.
Frontline support workers have worked with the people on the site to inform them of the clean-up and to help them keep their belongings safe while the work is undertaken. They will be able to remain on the site following completion of the tidy-up.
The council works proactively, with partners, to alleviate homelessness and rough sleeping and this includes frontline staff engaging directly with those on the streets.
It has adopted the Gwent Homelessness Strategy that uses the skills and knowledge of key officers and is working towards Welsh Government recommendations to enable a joined up approach to tackling an extremely complex issue.
The council’s housing needs team works hard to help families and individuals that find themselves in such difficult circumstances.
People who are homeless and approach the council are helped to find immediate emergency accommodation and then assisted with longer-term solutions.
Homelessness is on the rise across the country and Newport City Council works with partners to provide a range of services for people at risk of homelessness, those who are homeless and people sleeping rough.
The reasons why people sleep on the streets can be complicated but the numbers are quite small in context of those who need assistance with housing issues.
Working with partners, the council has a number of effective procedures aimed at preventing and alleviating homelessness across the city and rough sleeping forms part of this work.
Newport City Council, Gwent Police and specialist charities, such as The Wallich, Eden Gate and Pobl, work closely together as they recognise that there are some very vulnerable people in our society who need support, practical help and focussed assistance in order to break the cycle of homelessness
However, this work depends on the engagement of individuals, some of whom have multiple support needs, but that will not stop us continuing to reach out to offer help and advice.
The council also has to balance the needs and safety of other residents and businesses in the city centre in relation to sites used by people who are sleeping rough.