An assault victim needed hospital treatment after being attacked in the car park at a council block of flats in Brighton.
The incident happened after tenants had alerted Brighton and Hove City Council to the presence of rough sleepers in the car park at Hampshire Court, in Veronica Way, in Kemp Town.
Tenant reps now want to know “why were the perpetrators of the violent attack not moved on after it had happened?”
They said that residents were left feeling unsafe while the council said that no rough sleepers were found in the car park although it was aware of some in the laundry room.
The incident and the way that it was handled are due to be the subject of a discussion on anti-social behaviour at a meeting of council tenants and housing officials.
The attack happened on Friday 4 July and tenant reps plan to raise the matter with the council at a housing management panel meeting next Tuesday (16 September).
Neighbours had previously reported concerns about the people involved who were sleeping rough in the car park. They want to know why they were not moved on.
They have submitted a written question saying: “Why was action not taken and the rough sleepers moved on as soon as residents raised concerns?
“This lack of action left residents feeling unsafe in their homes and at risk of violence.
“Why were the perpetrators of the violent attack not moved on after it had happened?”
In response, housing manager Graham Davis said that he was sorry to hear that people felt unsafe and anxious after the incident, especially as concerns had been raised beforehand.
He said that the council was aware of rough sleepers in the laundry room but not within the car park and an inspection found no one in the area.
Rough sleepers were believed to have entered the car park under the shutters by tailgating.
Mr Davis said: “As soon as we were informed of the incident, our car parks and garages manager contacted Sussex Police to request their attendance.
“Local PCSOs began patrolling the area to monitor and move on individuals. We also engaged the street outreach team to offer support to those sleeping rough, aiming to address the issue with both safety and compassion.
“Additionally, our CCTV and block security housing officer arranged for security patrols to attend the site for five consecutive days.
“On Monday 7 July, housing officers confirmed the site was clear and our estates team removed any remaining debris.
“We recognise that the response may not have felt timely or sufficient and we want to ensure that concerns raised by residents are acted upon more visibly in future.
“Safety is our priority and we are committed to learning from this incident to improve how we respond going forward.”
Council in Brighton are a bloody disgrace,