A petition on the 38 Degrees website calls on Southampton City Council to “follow Manchester City Council's lead and open up empty and structurally safe buildings for the homeless this winter”.
• PSPOs: solving problems or 'criminalising poverty'?
The petition preamble says that more and more people are becoming homeless every day, “particularly in the climate of austerity”, and says it's “simply logical to open up empty buildings this winter to provide shelter for those who are in need”.
The Manchester Evening News reported that there 165 extra beds are being made available there “as the council pushes homelessness up its list of priorities”, after a group of rough sleepers were allowed to remain what is due to become a boutique hotel, owned by former Manchester United players Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.
Manchester shelters will be run by homelessness organisations, reports the Evening News.
The Southampton petition, created by Clara Pope-Sutherland, is here.
Previously
PSPOs: solving problems or 'criminalising poverty'?
Previously - Audio: Numbers using food bank up 50% - February 2014