Councillors updated on homeless camp: ’10-11 sleeping on Groves site’ some ‘have local tenancies’

An information report has been circulated to councillors giving an update on the ‘encampment’ on the Groves site.

The report, which has been circulated to members since the last Executive Board, lists the aims and objectives of the ‘Wrexham community safety town centre action plan’, along with providing an update on the ‘ongoing partnership work to manage the Groves encampment’.

Three objectives of the action plan and partnership group are listed in the report, which aims to develop a co-ordinated approach in order to:

• Reduce inappropriate behaviour in the town centre
• Reduce vulnerability
• Reduce demand a cross section of services

Described as a ‘recent emerging issue’ a summary timeline is included noting that: “At the end of July a cohort of individuals moved onto the Groves site and set up an encampment.

“Partners agreed that as a short term measure they would be allowed to stay on the site as this would enable agencies to work directly with them in structured and co-ordinated way to encourage them into services.

“Members will recall that in the summer of 2016 much time and resource was spent moving individuals and small groups on from various locations around Wrexham and engagement was very difficult.”

An ‘action plan’ was agreed at the end of July for what is described as a ‘high risk project’, with the camp resulting in ‘reliving pressures and demands on other services in Wrexham particularly in the town centre’.

Previously in a Town Centre Forum meeting the full action plan was asked to be circulated, however has not been forthcoming. That plan was described as having a several page communication strategy. In a document seen by Wrexham.com that communication plan is described, and also has social media sentiment measurement mentioned.

Such sentiment measures are included in the information report, with comments from you the public on social media summarised and fed back, with it stated: “Via social media there has been a growing support for the residents of the encampment and food and other supplies are being delivered directly to the site.

“Whilst we recognise that people are keen to help the vulnerable, donations need to be given to the supporting charities not given directly to the encampment.

“A number of the individuals on the site in the day are not homeless and others have either refused to engage with support agencies or have behaved inappropriately with support workers. Items that are being donated there are being sold for drugs – clearly this is not supporting the vulnerable into services. ”

Such feeling presumably was the cause of a firm response from Wrexham Council where deputy council leader, Cllr Hugh Jones said such direct donations were undermining work.  The ‘sentiment’ we picked up was split between those seeing it as very harsh and those entirely in favour of the Council’s position.

Just days after the statement was issued, North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner and former Wrexham councillor, Arfon Jones called on Cllr Jones to rethink his stance on people donating food and supplies to those on the site.

The information report also acknowledges the recent focus on the camp by regional and UK media, stating: “There is a growing media interest in the site, locally and now nationally. We are continuing to engage with local media as it is important to work together in the longer term on this issue.”

Interestingly Wrexham Council have decided to disengage from national media on the issue, noting that they have been ‘sensationalising the issue’.

Such frustrations are followed by a mini-fact check, with the report saying: “Reports are being given of over 50 people living on the site. Numbers are monitored daily and there are 10 or 11 people sleeping on the site, some of whom are not homeless and do have local tenancies.”

Four ‘partnership groups’ are detailed, with a fortnightly meeting of a ‘Gold Level Group’ down through to a daily update group who are ‘working together to manage the situation’.

The Council are seeing the work as a positive, with Wrexham leading the way in developing good practice that is being looked at externally: “The work that we are undertaking in Wrexham is providing us with a positive following from professionals, wanting to better understand the ground breaking work that is taking place in Wrexham.

“This issue is not unique to Wrexham but many areas are looking to understand what we are doing and have commented that we are leading the way with our partnership approach of the town centre action plan.”

The information report is light on the day to day detail of what is being done at the site, and also does not have timescales or benchmarks for site clearance.

In a separate non-public document we have seen there is detail on £2,010 worth of spending on fencing and a portaloo on the site based off a 14 week timeframe.

The private document also refers to the covenant of the Groves site and that the use of the land for such a camp would likely be in contravention of it. It is noted that the portaloos and fencing would require planning permission, but as they are only in place for around 90 days (roughly the 14 weeks above) a planning application would not be required.

There is reference to what could happen after the 90 day period, where a ‘medium term’ plan is to be developed. The private report states that the Groves site ‘is not suitable for a longer term base’ adding ‘as the weather changes individuals are likely to move onto alternative winter locations’.

There is no mention of where these locations are are thought to be, nor if preparatory work is taking place there, in the current document however is likely to be in scope for the medium term plan.

The private document does note two elements that will likely answer two common questions, pointing out that displacement of people ie. moving them around town, is not a solution and a permanent solution is preferred – plus ‘there is an end game’ with the Groves not being the permanent solution.