Westminster denies that soup kitchen byelaw would be "draconian"

Westminster Council has rejected claims that its plans to introduce a byelaw prohibiting soup runs from operating in a designated area are draconian.

The proposed bye-law would cover Westminster Cathedral Piazza and around Westminster Cathedral.

In a statement the local authority said “The City Council along with the London Mayor and major key third sector agencies have consistently promoted alternative volunteering opportunities that would directly benefit the street homeless. Unfortunately take up of these alternative options has not been great.”

Westminster said that anti-social behaviour enforcement options available to the police and the council had been proved to be unsatisfactory, which is why it turned to an application for a specific byelaw. This is the first time such a byelaw has been sought to deal with the issue.

The council insisted that vulnerable individuals would not be enforced against, and all individuals would be asked to leave the area before being subjected to any enforcement.

It added: “We do not regard treating human beings with respect and dignity to be draconian. All human-beings should be entitled to sit and eat food in comfort rather than on a street corner. The latter is outmoded and unnecessary.

“We are also of the view that providing food on the streets can and does sustain an individual’s rough sleeping lifestyle. This lifestyle is proven to be one that shortens life expectancy and leads to premature death.”

The council said the designated area in question suffered disproportionately from the negative impact of soup runs. It claimed that up to 100 people at a time could congregate on or around the piazza while food is being given out “turning it into a no-go area for many residents and businesses with issues around litter, urination, violence and disorder”.

Westminster has launched a consultation on the issue, after which it may ask the Department for Communities and Local Government for permission to pass a byelaw at a full council meeting in the summer. If approved, the byelaw could be in place by October 2011.

Cllr Daniel Astaire, Westminster's cabinet member for society, families and adult services, said: "Efforts by local organisations responding to the needs of the most vulnerable within their own community are to be applauded. However, soup runs on the streets in Westminster actually encourages people to sleep rough in Central London, with all the dangers that entails.”

Cllr Astaire argued that there was no need for anyone to sleep rough in Westminster “as we have a range of services that can help them off the streets to make the first steps towards getting their lives back on track”.

Westminster claimed that homeless charities backed the plans. Charles Fraser, chief executive of St Mungo’s, said: “While we recognize the compassion involved in providing food to vulnerable people, those in distress and rough sleeping need services that will support them off the streets for good and give them the opportunity for longer term better housing, health and work as they move on with their lives.”

However, other charities criticised Westminster’s approach. David Coombe of the Coombe Trust Fund told The Guardian that he rejected the notion that the group's soup run encouraged rough sleeping.

He said: "Very, very few choose this life. It is simply that there is not enough done for them and that which is done is undertaken almost exclusively by the third sector.

"I choose to operate our soup run because there is a need. Some 15 of us attend our bi-monthly runs and we meet many new faces each trip. Approximately 25% of those we see are ex-army and 30-40% originating from eastern Europe."