City council takes legal action to shut down 'tent city'

Hull City Council is to take legal action to close down a ‘tent city’, claiming that a number of its occupants are protesters from outside the area.

In a statement the local authority said: "Following a meeting with the organisers of the tent city protest on Monday 7 November, we offered to meet and assess the needs of the rough sleepers present on the site and to provide emergency accommodation. Assessments were carried out yesterday and all of those who came forward were found suitable accommodation.

"We know that there are only a handful of local rough sleepers on the site, most of whom are already known to us, and that the remainder of occupants are protesters from outside of the city.”

The council insisted that since the tent city had been established, its priority had been to get rough sleepers off the street and into warm accommodation.

Outreach workers had visited the site and offered the occupants hostel places, it said, adding that there were currently enough bed places in Hull for all rough sleepers who needed one.

The council said: "We have a moral obligation to protect rough sleepers in this city, which we take extremely seriously, and we work extensively with them to enable them to live independent lives.

"Sadly, we now know that the organisers of tent city are advising these vulnerable individuals to reject our offer of accommodation and remain on site for the false promise of permanent accommodation. Many of these individuals have significant problems, addictions and complex needs and it would not be in their best interests to offer them a permanent tenancy until they are ready to live independently. We will not set people up to fail.”

The local authority claimed it was unclear as to whether the tent city’s organisers were prepared to co-operate with the council. It also alleged that their behaviour was “becoming increasingly intimidating” to council and partner employees.

"Fundamentally, their actions are encouraging rough sleepers to remain on the street. This is totally unacceptable and we are left with no option but to instigate legal proceedings to remove the protesters from the site and city,” the council said.

"We will continue to support rough sleepers in Hull and our outreach support will carry on, as it has been doing, 365 days per year."