COUNCIL chiefs are considering opening a day centre for Swindon’s rough sleepers.

The idea is one of a number being looked at as part of new strategy on rough sleeping in the town being formulated by Swindon Borough Council.

A green paper was shared with the council’s housing scrutiny committee. A precursor to the fully strategy, it sets out the council’s ambitions that “no one arrives on the street”, “no one should return to the street” and the town centre is “safe and clean” for everyone.

Mike Ash, head of housing, told councillors: “This is a green paper. We’re looking for thoughts, guidance and ideas on the headlines we would like to work into a rough sleeper reduction strategy.”

Coun Cathy Martyn, cabinet member, added: “We are looking at various things over and above what we have put in this paper.” They include providing lockers for Swindon’s street homeless and setting up a day centre in the town.

The need for a new strategy have been sparked by a growth in the number of rough sleepers. At one point numbers were as high as 45, although have fallen back down to between 20 and 30. Changes to the law are also increasing council officers’ workload. The Homeless Reduction Act, passed last year, requires council carry out an assessment on everyone threatened with being made homeless within 56 days. “The change in legislation is already seeing an increase in caseloads,” the council green paper says.

But while there was widespread support for an extra £195,000 won for Swindon homelessness schemes from central government and a policy aimed at speeding rough sleepers into housing – branded “housing first” – other aspects if the proposed strategy have been questioned.

Coun Bob Wright told councillors: “My concern isn’t that we’ve got a green paper. I welcome it and I welcome the extra finance. My concern is the way we go about developing the green paper.” He said an approach should have been taken where homelessness groups were involved from the beginning. Responding, Coun Martyn said the green paper was simply a “starter for ten”: “We are open to ideas, we are open to advice, we are open to comments.”

Graeme Willis, chief executive of charity Threshold, said of the council’s bid to keep the town centre “safe and clean”: “Individuals have been cleared from sleeping in car parks and court action has also been taken against individuals to stop them from sleeping in the town centre.

“Whilst this has obvious benefits for business and the public it will also have a negative impact on rough sleepers as individuals have become more widely dispersed and have become more difficult to find by the existing outreach team. This policy alone is likely to reduce the number of rough sleepers recorded in the annual street count but will have done little if anything to address their needs.”