People urged to help rough sleepers in storms

People have been asked to help identify anyone who is sleeping rough during the extreme wet and windy weather.

Exeter City Council is urging people to call the Devon and Cornwall Rough Sleeper Hotline on 0800 151 3441 if they are aware of anyone who may be at risk from the storms.

Cllr Rob Hannaford, Lead Councillor for Housing and Customer Access, said: "We have activated our Severe Weather Provision and our outreach team is currrently working with St Petrocks to identify vulnerable rough sleepers to assist with accommodation. It is likely that this situation will continue for the next couple of days.

We carried out a rough sleeper hotspot count on Friday 31st January, and three teams covered Exeter , including one with a car to help cover the outlying areas.

We found twenty people bedded down, who were all male.  This included four people in tents by the river and outreach teams have been out and about this morning targeting those rough sleepers who are most at risk.

The Street Homelessness Outreach Team and workers from St Petrocks have been working very closely to identify those clients who will be offered severe weather provision , and its my understanding that offers have all been made to those we have identified. I would urge anyone who is currently sleeping rough to come forward and engage with us and other key stakeholders to seek help and shelter.

"We are doing everything possible to identify these people but would ask that if anyone has any concerns about anyone who is in a vulnerable situation sleeping rough, particularly in places that we may not be aware of, to contact the Devon and Cornwall Rough Sleepers Line, on 0800 151 3441."