Medway Council, and other councils across the country, reported a huge and sudden fall in their rough sleeping figures between 2017 and 2018 after switching the reporting mechanism from estimates to rough sleeper counts.
Cllr Naushabah Khan, Councillor for Gillingham, South and Medway Labour Spokesperson for Housing said, ‘The reality is that under a Tory-led government, homelessness has doubled in this country. Here in Medway we have seen first-hand the difficulties those who are sleeping on our streets or living in temporary accommodation face.
‘While there is plenty of good work being done by hard-working officers, agencies and local charities, fudging the figures does nothing to help those who desperately need support. That includes 600 of Medway’s children who are without a permanent roof over their heads. A Labour controlled Medway Council will include homeless and rough sleeping count targets, ’
'...fudging the figures does nothing to help those who desperately need support. That includes 600 of Medway’s children who are without a permanent roof over their heads.' Cllr Naushabah Khan, Councillor for Gillingham, South and Medway Labour Spokesperson for Housing
Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of the Labour Group said, ‘The way in which the rough sleeper count is calculated in Medway is problematic in that it doesn’t provide the full picture, especially problems like sofa surfing which we have a lot of in Medway.
‘The truth of the matter is that the council just received extra money for homelessness, but are reducing the number of people that can, and need, to benefit from it.’
'The truth of the matter is that the council just received extra money for homelessness, but are reducing the number of people that can, and need, to benefit from it.’ Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of the Labour Group
See article in the Guardian mentioning Medway’s homelessness figures: