READING Borough Council has enacted the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, meaning it provides emergency accommodation for rough sleepers in the town.
The protocol is activated when temperatures are forecast to hit 0° Celsius for three or more consecutive nights, and sees the council work alongside St Mungo’s, one of the its charity partners, as a humanitarian response for people who would otherwise be sleeping rough during extreme weather.
It means anyone referred to the Council’s Homelessness Prevention Team or St Mungo’s under SWEP will be assessed, and if verified as rough sleeping or at high risk of rough sleeping, will be provided with a short-term emergency bed space.
A total of 249 bed spaces, as well as those available through the SWEP response, are offered across the Council’s Homelessness Support Services to help single people and couples who are found rough sleeping, or at risk of rough sleeping.
Council partnerships are also in place with faith, voluntary, and community sector organisations to provide additional support often through provision of food, clothing, and warm spaces.
It follows the announcement that council protocols strengthened by a government grant of more than £120,000 to support SWEP and the Bed for a Night (B4N) winter shelter run by FAITH Christian Group.
Plans were also announced to create a daytime warm space offer between January and March, run by voluntary and charity sector partners.
Matt Yeo, Lead Councillor for Housing, said: “Reading is proud of its comprehensive support for the most vulnerable in our society.
“We are acutely aware that those rough sleeping on our streets face more threat when the weather turns cold, as it has done this week, and I’m pleased to see SWEP is now in place to protect them.
“Please do report anyone you see rough sleeping via StreetLink so we can ensure they are offered help”.
Residents are encouraged to contact The Streetlink which can send an alert to the local rough sleeping outreach service which can visit them and offer support into accommodation.
Anyone sleeping rough can drop in to the Council offices between 9am and 5pm to seek advice and assistance.
More information is available via: reading.gov.uk/roughsleeping
