London Mayoral candidates join campaign to end rough sleeping

2 May 2012 02:27 PM

Jenny Jones, Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick Take a Step to end rough sleeping in the capital.

Jenny Jones, Green candidate for the London Mayoral election, has become the 100th person in just 50 days to Take a Step to end rough sleeping.

Her Step was shortly followed by pledges from Ken Livingstone, Labour candidate, Boris Johnson, Conservative candidate and Brian Paddick, candidate for the Liberal Democrats.

The pledges are in support of the Take a Step to end rough sleeping campaign from Homeless Link, the umbrella organisation for homelessness in England. The campaign called on all Mayoral candidates to commit to delivering on nine core steps to end rough sleeping in the capital.

Mayor candidate pledges

Jenny Jones made the promise to ‘protect frontline services and bring all homelessness grants under the Mayor and Assembly’s remit’.

Ken Livingstone promised to endorse all of the nine steps set out by Homeless Link and ‘work with the homeless to stop the inequality and poverty that leaves people on the streets’.

Boris Johnson pledged to helping to end rough sleeping by “continuing to build on the success we have had so far through the London Delivery Board to have coordinated action in London to end rough sleeping and expand No Second Night Out to ensure that no one new to the street spends a second night sleeping rough."

Brian Paddick said if elected he would end rough sleeping by “promising to see built 360,000 affordable homes in London over the next decade offering people a decent standard of accommodation.”

Talking about her campaign pledge, Jenny Jones said:

“I am delighted to formally join the campaign to end rough sleeping. As Mayor I would take steps to lobby boroughs and the Government to protect homelessness funding, and press for the London Councils grant scheme to be taken over by City Hall so we can protect essential services that operate across more than one borough. I believe these steps will help to bring about an end to rough sleeping in London.”

Talking about his campaign pledge, Ken Livingstone said:

"If elected I will launch a new drive to end homelessness using the Mayor's powers and responsibilities across housing, skills and training, health, and policing, as well as coordinating with other agencies. I will also use the Mayor's new health powers to make sure no one with a mental illness has to sleep rough. And I will work with the NHS to tackle Hepatitis C among homeless people. This is a serious but treatable infectious disease which with the right focus we could now eradicate in London. I believe these pledges will ensure the campaign to end rough sleeping in London is successful."

Matt Harrison, Interim Chief Executive at Homeless Link, says:

“More than 400 people sleep on the streets of London every night. London has led the way in tackling rough sleeping through its commitment to the No Second Night Out initiative.

“However, ending rough sleeping is about more than getting people off the streets. We need to make sure there is somewhere for rough sleepers to go where they can get the support they need to get back into a life of independence.

“We believe that by committing to our nine steps the Mayor will make this a reality for London.”

Homeless Link’s Steps for the London Mayor

• Increase the stock of affordable and social housing, so that those who have been homeless are able to find a permanent home
• Commit to continue the roll out of No Second Night Out across London – the service that ensures new rough sleepers get help quickly
• Help raise public awareness of where people can go for help if they are at risk of becoming homeless and their rights
• Encourage the police and probation service to play their part in preventing offenders and those at risk of offending from becoming homeless
• Lead the NHS in making sure every patient has somewhere to stay
• Ensure consistent advice and assistance is provided by London Councils when someone seeks help with housing
• Make sure the public know how to report someone rough sleeping in their community
• Support local authorities and charities to make sure those who are rough sleeping get the right help at the right time
• Work with partners, including foreign governments, to end rough sleeping amongst destitute migrants.

The campaign was launched at a parliamentary reception on 7 March 2012 and encourages everyone to take big and small steps to ensure that no one in England has to sleep on the streets.

homeless.org.uk/take-a-step
www.facebook.com/homelesslink
Join the debate: #whatsyourstep