Town Hall hosts ‘Homelessness Event’

Shirley Kennedy, Co-Organiser of ‘Chill-Out’

An event that was described as ‘an information event to introduce you to the new preventative support services for socially excluded people’ took place yesterday at the Town Hall.

The event was organised in the wake of ‘Chill-Out’, the campaigning group set up on Rochdale Online forums to draw attention to ‘Rochdale’s homelessness crisis’ following major cuts in emergency bed provision in the borough as result of budget cuts imposed by central government.

The event was attended by councillors, council officers, people involved in working with the homeless, service users and ‘Chill-Out’ organisers.

At the heart of the event, which took place in the Great Hall several stands organised by local charities and organisations working with the socially excluded including Shelter, Bernardo’s, Stepping Stones, Women’s Housing Action Group (WHAG), Rochdale MBC Homeless Services and Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services, Petrus, The Bond Board, Pennine Care and People Supporting People.

Speaking to Rochdale Online, ‘Chill-Out’ co-organisers Shirley Kennedy and Pete Hinchliffe said: “We are pleased with the event and hope that it marks the beginning of a new and more compassionate era in the care of homeless people in the borough.

“As this is a new way of dealing with the socially excluded, we will continue to monitor the situation very closely to ensure that it actually delivers what it says on the tin.

"We still have some residual concerns about accessing services. For instance, of the ten exhibitors here today, none of them knew of the freephone telephone number that we were assured would be available to those seeking emergency assistance. We were also told that a directory would be produced for those coming into contact with the homeless outlining the provisions that are available locally and how to access them. 

“Although we are pleased that ‘Chill-Out’ has been able to work with the Council on this issue, one of our really big concerns is how changes to the benefits system coming in over the next two years will impact upon those at the bottom of the social and economic ladder.

"Changes to Housing Benefit and the replacement of many other financial safety-nets with Universal Credit have concerned many. Replacement of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) with an as yet untested Personal Independence Payment (PIP) plus the abolition of the Discretionary Social Fund which administers Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans is likely to bring further pressures. This could drive even more people into the hands of unregistered loan-sharks and high-interest short term loan companies which can charge up to 3000% in interest charges.”

The abolition of the Social Fund is to be replaced with a system of local welfare assistance to be administered by local authorities, although there is no statutory duty placed upon them to provide this and neither will any monies be ring-fenced allowing any budget set aside for this to be used for any other purpose that the council decides.