An MP has complained that Brighton and Hove City Council is “dumping” homeless people in Eastbourne without the support that they need.
Josh Babarinde, the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastbourne, raised the issue during housing, communities and local government questions in the House of Commons yesterday (Monday 7 September).
Mr Babarinde said: “I recently met a homeless man at the homelessness charity, the Matthew 25 Mission, who said that he had been ‘dumped’ in temporary accommodation in Eastbourne by Brighton and Hove City Council without the support that he needed.
“The previous minister promised that she would review the out-of-area placement guidance for local authorities on this matter so will this minister meet me to discuss the progress of that review?”
Homelessness Minister Florence Eshalomi said: “I thank the honourable gentleman for raising that point.
“(He) should not have had to go through that. I am happy to meet with the honourable gentleman to discuss the case.”
The Matthew 25 Mission is based in Seaside, Eastbourne, and takes its names from a bible verse, Matthew 25:40 which says: “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.”
At the same question time, Chris Ward, the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said: “Rough sleeping is a huge challenge in Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven so I am delighted that the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State are making it such a big priority.
“But will any of the very welcome additional funding go to existing schemes such as the ending homelessness in communities fund – a brilliant scheme, but heavily oversubscribed – or charities in my constituency?”
Mrs Eshalomi said: “It is important to look at local initiatives … The government’s new £442 million rough sleeping programme and the ending homelessness fund will look at that.
“Brighton and Hove has received £1.35 million through the rough sleeping programme allocation while Brighton Women’s Centre has been allocated £371,380 through the ending homelessness in communities fund, subject to grant agreement completion.”
“Without Support” seems to be a very important thing missing from the headline, because without it changes the meaning of the MPs words.
Brighton and Hove is only “City of Sanctuary” for some. Some human beings just have more rights than others.
‘Mrs Eshalomi said: “It is important to look at local initiatives … The government’s new £442 million rough sleeping programme and the ending homelessness fund will look at that.’ Why does she have to mention the figure of £442 million? Utterly meaningless as we have no idea what they’re going to do with it. Why not tell us what the ‘local initiative’ actually is?