The sister of a man who was homeless while receiving treatment for kidney failure marked her Valentine's Day this week by handing in a petition to Stroud District Council.

Sarah Weaving joined Debbie Hicks, a homelessness campaigner, on Wednesday to hand in a petition to the council with over 2,000 signatures calling for more to be done against homelessness in the district.

SDC has said it is considering the petition, but also stressed that in the face of the wide range of challenges associated with rough sleeping it is still the "best performing council for relieving homelessness ... in the south west."

Last year ITV reported on Sarah's brother, Martin Drew, a Gloucester man who was made homeless after confusion over his housing benefit.

Though Martin's case related to Gloucester City Council, and not the district council, Sarah said outside Ebley Mill: "He was homeless for quite a long time. He had chronic kidney failure - total, total kidney failure. He was on dialysis for six hours a day and he had blood cancer. He had to sleep on the floor of a shelter. He died last year."

Seeing what he went through has led Sarah to back Debbie's petition, which firstly asks for the council to bring homelessness services back in-house.

At the moment the council works with charity P3 for some, but not all, of its homelessness services.

For instance, outreach workers from P3 are the ones called out when people use the Street Link app, which allows member of the public to report anyone they think is in danger on the streets and connect them to shelter. 

But Debbie said: "The council used to employ staff to manage homelessness but that is now contracted out to a charity called P3. And we feel, from our experience on the streets and learning about P3 from Stroud's rough sleepers, that they are not fit for purpose.

"The council should employ its own staff. Our suggestion is that they use their reserves. There's money that they're sitting on that should be used in an emergency.

"That's what it's for, and we're in a crisis here in Stroud.There's going to be a death on the streets if things carry on."

Debbie's petition, signatures of which have been collected over the last few months from a stall on Stroud's high street, also calls on the council to takeover empty properties for the homeless and to buy a building for temporary shelter.

The council, which is facing a mounting bill from booking hotel rooms for the homeless in the event of an emergency, is now considering buying the old Salvation Army building on Acre Street for emergency accommodation.

"At the moment its not really clear what that will be and how it will be managed," said Debbie.

Aside from the petition, Sarah and Debbie brought a picture frame with messages from rough sleepers in Stroud to be delivered to the council's leader, cllr Doina Cornell.

Stroud News and Journal:

A Stroud District Council spokesperson said: "Stroud District Council is the best performing council for relieving homelessness and for the least number of households in temporary accommodation in the south west.

“We are dedicated to finding the best solutions to the diverse range of challenges that homelessness and rough sleeping brings.

“Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government figures show that four people were rough sleeping in the Stroud district in 2018. We are currently housing 14 households in temporary accommodation, and we are strongly considering providing emergency accommodation of our own.

“We are committed to supporting rough sleepers to find permanent accommodation through a variety of solutions including the Social Impact Bond and working with our partners including P3.

“The presentation of the petition is noted. In accordance with the council’s constitution it will be considered by relevant officers and councillors to decide whether a written officer response is appropriate or if the matter should be referred to a committee for debate.

“We have already responded to issues raised in the petition, via public questions to full council on October 18, 2018 and the housing committee on February 5, 2019. These are available on the council’s website and links are provided below.”

stroud.gov.uk/media/970492/item-5-public-question-time-council-18-october-2018.pdf

stroud.gov.uk/media/971297/item-4-public-questions-hsg-ctee-5-feb.pdf