ANDY BURNHAM ‘NO REGRETS’ FOR FAILING COMMITMENT TO END ROUGH SLEEPING IN 2020 - Salford Star

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ANDY BURNHAM ‘NO REGRETS’ FOR FAILING COMMITMENT TO END ROUGH SLEEPING IN 2020

Star date: 30th November 2020

115 PEOPLE SLEEPING ROUGH IN GREATER MANCHESTER AS SALFORD HOUSING PROBLEMS MULTIPLY

"That is why I have made ending rough sleeping across the city region by 2020 one of my top Mayoral priorities" Andy Burnham, 2017

Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham says he has "no regrets at all" about making the commitment to end rough sleeping by 2020, even though there are currently 115 people sleeping rough in the region. He questioned whether it was ever "fully achievable", adding that it was "always a call to arms".

Burnham made the comments while announcing new funding for the A Bed Every Night scheme and other projects. Last week, Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, laid out the dire housing situation in Salford.

Full details here...

Squat opposite Manchester Town Hall 2017

Andy Burnham surrounded by activists Salford 2017

Rough sleeping numbers in Greater Manchester

click image to enlarge

At this month's full meeting of Salford Council, City Mayor Paul Dennett gave out some selected statistics about the current state of housing in the city... 'Households owed a main homelessness duty have increased by 102% since last year, to 525...237 households were placed into temporary accommodation between January and March this year, a 52% increase: Salford homelessness search waiting list is up to over 7,300...while 210 people are in A Bed Every Night (ABEN) in Salford'...

He didn't say how many people were sleeping rough but at a press conference to announce new funding for homelessness last Friday, Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, said there were 115 people currently sleeping rough in Greater Manchester.

When Burnham got elected in 2017, one of his first publicity exercises was to go out onto the streets of Manchester talking to the homeless and stating "We all have a duty to ensure no one is forced to spend a night on the streets and every Greater Mancunian has a stable place to call home

"That is why I have made ending rough sleeping across the city region by 2020 one of my top Mayoral priorities" he explained "Within three years, and if we can achieve it earlier, no one should be forced to spend a night on the streets. I will also work with all relevant organisations to develop a plan to reduce all forms of homelessness in Greater Manchester."*

As the end of 2020 approaches, the number of rough sleepers since Burnham was elected has more than halved, from 241 in 2018, to 151 in 2019, to 115 in 2020 but is still a feature on the region's streets, despite all the extra COVID-19 funding and provision. Burnham was asked if he had any regrets about making the pledge...

"I think I need to say that it was always a call to arms to try and galvanise the whole of the GM system to get everybody thinking differently about what might be achievable" he responded "...I've no regrets at all about making that commitment, and I think absolutely that it was achievable to get it right down...This time last year we were beginning to make real headway, I think, in terms of a person by person approach to creating new solutions for people.

"...Had the rate of increase in 2018-19 continued, we would have been down into low-ish double figures" he added "People could then have argued whether I had met the commitment or not; was it enough or not, but I think that's where we were heading...

"I don't want to use the pandemic as an excuse, it's changed everything of course, and the level of demand we are trying to cope with is enormous; but where would we be without that provision?" he asked "The fact that we have reduced rough sleeping again in a pandemic, I think, says something about the strength of our partnerships and the provision we have now. I think that's a huge achievement to be honest.

"The world has changed but I am not backing away from my commitment; we could have got it much lower and got it right down given the progress we were making last year" he said "That's been interrupted but we've seen a significant reduction year on year."

Stressing that he didn't want to give "a politician's answer", Burnham questioned whether "it was ever fully achievable...

"I think it would have been a real struggle because maybe there are always some people who choose not to come inside" he explained "There is the issue of people with no recourse to public funds. Under Government policy you can't end rough sleeping because they would say you can't help some people; you're prevented from helping some people, so we've had to raise voluntary funds to help those people.

"I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved and once we get through this I will renew my commitment to end rough sleeping because that's what Greater Manchester should be about - nobody out on the streets" he concluded "That's the place I want that to be. I will re-set that mission coming out of this..."

Meanwhile, Jo Walby from Mustard Tree and Rev Ian Rutherford of Greater Manchester Homelessness Action Network laid out the stark reality of what's happening with the economic fallout from COVID-19.

Jo reported "a big increase" in people asking for help, particularly with those fearing loss of tenancies, adding that the Mustard Tree was helping 500 people per month which rose to 1,000 per week during the pandemic. She is expecting "a tsunami of need" during January and February.

Jo also spoke of the "shame" of a situation that sees 3,600 individuals and families currently in temporary accommodation, a 20% increase this year, with over 2,000 of those involving children.

Andy Burnham and Paul Dennett announced that the A Bed Every Night emergency accommodation scheme, currently running at around 480 per night, would be expanded by £300,000 for an extra forty beds, also suitable for people with dogs.

On top of this, there's the Government's £398,000 Cold Weather funding for Greater Manchester's local authorities. From March next year, more than 240 new tenancies will be created for people at continued risk of rough sleeping through Government's Next Steps Accommodation Programme, backed by more than £12.7million of funding for the city-region this financial year.

There's also a £663,000 Greater Manchester Young Person's Homelessness Prevention Pathfinder programme; a one-year pilot that aims to work with between 250 and 300 under 35s (mainly 18-25 year olds) who are at risk of becoming homeless.

A new Greater Manchester Homelessness Prevention Strategy is due to be published in March 2021, just before the Greater Manchester Mayor Election.

Burnham paid tribute to those who have shown "so much commitment and passion and will to change things over the last couple of years" adding that Salford was "a model of best practice in terms of how to deal with these issues"...

The Salford Star asked whether any of the progress on homelessness would have happened without pressure from activists who set out squats, took part in protests and created homeless tent villages in the centre of Manchester. The question was never put to Andy Burnham, despite him asking if there were any more questions...

If anyone wants to donate to A Bed Every Night or to #OneGM which supports vulnerable people – click here

* See previous Salford Star articles for a full background...

Andy Burnham Roasted By Homeless at Housing Husting - click here

Burnham's Homelessness Fund Will Solve Nothing Say Squatters - click here

53 Candles Lit For Homeless Deaths On Manchester's Streets - click here

Homeless Squat Opens Opposite Manchester Town Hall - click here

Manchester Town Hall Stormed in Homeless Protest - click here

Co-op Eviction Sees Rooftop Protest - click here

Salford Homeless Man's Murder Highlights Inequality in Salford - click here

wrote
at 18:44:22 on 28 September 2021

So Burnham says "That is why I have made ending rough sleeping across the city region by 2020 one of my top Mayoral priorities" Andy Burnham, 2017 Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham says he has "no regrets at all" about making the commitment to end rough sleeping by 2020, even though there are currently 115 people sleeping rough in the region. He questioned whether it was ever "fully achievable", adding that it was "always a call to arms". There you have it, make a promise, get elected, come up with an excuse, thats how burnham works.... The mayor should be a ceremonial role with a very small salary and no political affiliation, in other words a box ticker...

wrote
at 22:38:04 on 13 September 2021

andy burnhams not put homeless people next to you tory scum bag policies have wake up you bog eyed fools.

Rayofsunshine wrote
at 19:57:09 on 10 September 2021

Bob, Rossi isn't "our man on the ground", rather he's an embittered failure who spews hackneyed tropes!

John wrote
at 11:39:08 on 10 September 2021

Terence king @ Homeless people have got to be put somewhere and if that involves putting them in a nice lovely area, so be it buddy

Terence king wrote
at 19:09:54 on 08 September 2021

Me and my wife are 75 year old pensioner Andy burnham has put 2 home less people next to our lovely disabled flat we don't get a bit of peace keep asking for food and money why put HOME LESS IN PLACES LIKE A VERY QUIET PLACE THEY SHOULD BE IN A PROPER PLACE TO BE LOOKED AFTER GOD OLD ANDY BURNHAM.

wrote
at 15:35:43 on 03 December 2020

The best place for beggars is Chorlton, where the socialist aristocracy live.A small terraced house there is half a million. It makes the socialists feel good to drop the odd shilling into the caps of those affected by Tory capitalism.Chorlton is full of trendy cafe's ,bistros etc. Outside each is a smackhead druggie begging.Outside Morrisons there is a fake police van with cameras on it to catch the muggers.Even though its supposed to be a posh area,one of the metro stations has the highest rate for street crime.Socialist utopia.

ROSSI wrote
at 12:51:57 on 03 December 2020

Arnold, Ive seen the woman at Swinton Asda, she gave me the sad, 'pity me' look. She was getting ready to launch into the "Can you spare me some change?" drone. Being a heartless son of a bitch, I gave her the 'withering' stare and then went into Asda to buy some reduced price vegetables. I toyed with the idea of giving her the "Get a Job" snarl, but decided that that would be a bit rich coming from me.

salfordian wrote
at 12:42:31 on 03 December 2020

are there no workhouses are there no prisons.

The Watcher on the shore wrote
at 11:56:14 on 03 December 2020

Hey Rossi, What do beggers on Cheetham hill do ? Get the 52 back to the precinct ? I seem to think we had an increase of homeless people in the 1980s and then again from 2010. I've often pondered if there was a link . No,can't be, that's too obvious.

Darren born bred wrote
at 10:40:28 on 03 December 2020

If people want to see real homeless people get up Manchester at night and the early hours of the morning sleeping rough in the back alleyways and doorways. There must be at least around a thousand of the poor beggers in the city centre sleeping rough at night. This is the year 2020, we should have no homeless people, yet we have lots of empty buildings and abandoned buildings lying empty. Use them.

ROSSI wrote
at 10:11:25 on 03 December 2020

Paul Kelly, the thing about you Socialists is that you're so naive. You believe whatever bollocks you are told. I put this down to you well meaning Socialists spending too much time reading the teachings of Father Marx. You're similar to the Pentecostal Christians who speak in tongues and believe the world is 6000 years old and a 500 year old man called Noah built a ship with his three sons, who all must have been in their 400s, in order to take two of all animals on board and survive a flood. Naive is the word. Fact is, these "homeless" beggars turn up at about ten to nine, set up their props, then sit there looking abject and pathetic for seven or so hours, before shuffling off with their hard earned money, and getting the bus back to Cheetham Hill. During that time they can make a hundred pounds. That money almost exclusively goes to a drug dealer or Bargain Booze. This is just how it is. But if you want to believe that this isn't the case, then you're free to carry on being naive.

Arnold Rimmer wrote
at 09:55:42 on 03 December 2020

There are definitely a lot of fake homeless in Swinton. The notorious one is the guy who moves between aldi and asda with the manky leg that is from drug use but says its from something else. He has a house in Little Hulton. Strange that I haven't seen him since the weather got colder. The woman who is regularly at Swinton asda has been caught wearing nice clothes under her homeless costume and driving off in a car.

paulkelly wrote
at 23:43:59 on 02 December 2020

They are all at it cor blimey it says it in the paper they are having us for mugs exclusive want a holiday in the sun beg outside Tesco Salford they throw tenners at your feet need new furniture for your penthouse beg outside Aldi need money for a piss up or fags or even a new car to drive away after a hard days work begging try Salford Precint sit and beg your life away and have nice conversations with all them young girls who had kids just so they could beg off the state to fund luxurious life styles and blag council houses i blame the labour party these evil bastards started it all off with the la di da welfare state giving proper housing a bloody health service free at the point of delivery no less what a cheek social security endless benefits including housing benefit bloody parasites if you cant pay your own rent put em on the streets entitled to a house indeed commie nonsense see what its caused a begging epedemic where will it all end we need to get back to basics give out more money that will stop the buggers begging the country is going to pot where will it all end i had that karl marx and Fred Engels in the back of the cab the other day they ran off with out paying.

Bob wrote
at 12:10:17 on 02 December 2020

He's back, our Ray with the official Labour view on things. Initiative, thats the word, I like a bloke with initiative, that's what were lacking here in Salford. Now we at last know what the word means in the Labour way of looking at things. It means going out and aggressively begging on the streets.Begging from poor people many of whom are on benefits themselves. Much as I don't like Burnham, I reckon his figures are going to be pretty accurate as to the number of people actually living on the street. He will have spent great deal of money finding this out.These numbers have to be accurate because they will be sent to the government. People who live in homeless hostels will not be counted, as they will not be living on the street.In our country, we should abolish 2 things, homelessness, and begging on the street. Like Rossi says, a lot of this begging money goes on drugs,he knows whats going on ,he's our man on the ground as it were.

ROSSI wrote
at 10:58:11 on 02 December 2020

Yes Ray, they show initiative, don't they, like thieves and drug dealers show initiative, and prostitutes working in "Gobbling Houses" and rich businessmen who rip off the tax payer by applying for and getting Covid funds, and people pretending to be mental so that they can get ESA and PIP ...All of those people show initiative. I'm suprised that you admire them, especially with you being a "Marxist", but then again, you're Riverside Ray, so you probably would admire them. I have nothing against the genuine homeless, but the majority of the beggars and panhandlers are not homeless, they are substance abusing parasites, and that's a different thing. Like I said, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, walk around Central Manchester at ten PM. Eighty percent of the homeless have gone back to their council flats to get high after a profitable day's begging.

Rayofsunshine wrote
at 21:05:51 on 01 December 2020

Rossi,perhaps you should take a leaf out of the book of those you obviously despise - at least they show some initiative! What have you got to feel superior about - sat on your arse all day?

ROSSI wrote
at 13:00:26 on 01 December 2020

Jacob Marley, most of the "homeless" aren't actually homeless. They are drug addicts and alcoholics. Many of them live rent free in social housing, and are in receipt of ESA and PIP. But this isn't enough, so they go out and sit next to a cash machine, looking abject. Then kind hearted mugs donate money, that goes towards their drug of choice and helps the dealer to drive a beamer and go on holidays to Florida. This is really the way that it is. Walk around Manchester at night, and you'll see that eighty percent of the "homeless" have gone back to their flats after a fruitful day of begging.

jacob marley wrote
at 00:24:22 on 01 December 2020

none should be on the streets all should have homes what a vile comment mrs hodges why not speak to people on the streets find out why they are in such a position before you come out with such judgemental crap you smug hateful ignorant cretin do you live such a closed life that you dont know why people end up sleeping rough and dying on the streets i sincerely hope you and your type find out the hard way it is the only way horrible people like you will learn .

Darren born bred wrote
at 18:20:46 on 30 November 2020

Where do these people get these statistics/figures from. 115 sleeping rough in the whole of greater Manchester. Seriously. As any of these people been to Bolton town centre, Oldham town centre and Piccadilly gardens and market Street Manchester. There is homeless everywhere at nightime sadly sleeping rough outside in the doorways and back alleys and there is lots of them in Manchester and Salford abandoned buildings like the Hulme hippodrome and the old adelphi lads club and lots more are sleeping rough in abandoned buildings.. The Narrowgate homeless shelter on Churchill way. I've been told today by someone that works with the vunerable people it is shut because they can't put about 40 homeless people in 1 big room incase one of the poor beggers might have flu or some other virus.. Cherry tree court on Churchill way is still empty, with about 100 flats and with 2 people sharing 1 flat, that's 200 homeless off the streets... The massive crescent police station is still empty, you can put 300 homeless people in that building and there is lots of abandoned buildings all around greater Manchester. Sorted.

Mrs Hodges wrote
at 17:06:37 on 30 November 2020

How many of those sleeping rough should even be here? There's on who sits opposite Aldi on the precinct, why isn't he deported? He can't support himself and is either faking being homeless, or isn't entitled to anything.

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