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| Newcastle drive on caring for homeless as bars face minimum alcohol price | Newcastle drive on caring for homeless as bars face minimum alcohol price |
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| In the week that Newcastle imposes a pioneering minimum price for alcohol on new bars, it's interesting to see that the city's chief official concerned with homelessness has gone online with a blog. | In the week that Newcastle imposes a pioneering minimum price for alcohol on new bars, it's interesting to see that the city's chief official concerned with homelessness has gone online with a blog. |
| Neil Munslow hopes to build on the reputation established by the city as a Government 'champion' for dealing with the challenge of homelessness and rough sleeping, with a range of measures since adopted by other cities and large towns. | Neil Munslow hopes to build on the reputation established by the city as a Government 'champion' for dealing with the challenge of homelessness and rough sleeping, with a range of measures since adopted by other cities and large towns. |
| He wants to highlight a new one: Newcastle's 'No Second Night Out' campaign which aims to establish exactly that: a system which finds rough sleepers as quickly as possible and sorts something out to avoid a second night in the cold. Munslow says: | He wants to highlight a new one: Newcastle's 'No Second Night Out' campaign which aims to establish exactly that: a system which finds rough sleepers as quickly as possible and sorts something out to avoid a second night in the cold. Munslow says: |
| We've built up a great reputation preventing homelessness and its causes. We have reinvented and improved systems, joined up the dots between agencies and the council is recognised for the support it gives to the 3,500 people at risk of homeless that it helps each year. | We've built up a great reputation preventing homelessness and its causes. We have reinvented and improved systems, joined up the dots between agencies and the council is recognised for the support it gives to the 3,500 people at risk of homeless that it helps each year. |
| But we still have a small 'core' of people who are our persistent homeless, people who have been thrown out of every hostel, who are often addicted to drugs or alcohol and are our most 'difficult' customers. | But we still have a small 'core' of people who are our persistent homeless, people who have been thrown out of every hostel, who are often addicted to drugs or alcohol and are our most 'difficult' customers. |
The link with drink in particular concerns the city, whose reputation as the 'Geordie Shore' party town may attract students and others who can cope with and afford it, but cuts the other way with those addicted to alcohol and beset by other problems. Bringing in the minimum price of £1.25 a unit, as a licensing condition for a new bar and restaurant set up by 'Champagne Joe' Robertson, the Labour-controlled council underlined its targeting of binge-drinking. Coun Henri Murison, who is steering the policy through, says: | The link with drink in particular concerns the city, whose reputation as the 'Geordie Shore' party town may attract students and others who can cope with and afford it, but cuts the other way with those addicted to alcohol and beset by other problems. Bringing in the minimum price of £1.25 a unit, as a licensing condition for a new bar and restaurant set up by 'Champagne Joe' Robertson, the Labour-controlled council underlined its targeting of binge-drinking. Coun Henri Murison, who is steering the policy through, says: |
| By introducing these conditions on new licences, we are sending a clear signal that we want to move away from the Geordie Shore image. That is not what we think Newcastle is about. | By introducing these conditions on new licences, we are sending a clear signal that we want to move away from the Geordie Shore image. That is not what we think Newcastle is about. |
| We are leading the way nationally on this issue and many other councils like us, with a world-class nightlife and destination to manage, will follow in our footsteps. The Government should follow our lead by doing what they can to be tougher on the supermarkets, who have caused the crisis of low-cost binge drinking. | We are leading the way nationally on this issue and many other councils like us, with a world-class nightlife and destination to manage, will follow in our footsteps. The Government should follow our lead by doing what they can to be tougher on the supermarkets, who have caused the crisis of low-cost binge drinking. |
| The city is also planning a drinks levy on bars open after midnight, specifically to help pay for extra policing. The newly-elected Labour police commissioner for Northumbria, Vera Baird, says: | The city is also planning a drinks levy on bars open after midnight, specifically to help pay for extra policing. The newly-elected Labour police commissioner for Northumbria, Vera Baird, says: |
| I am also concerned that officers spend a large amount of time dealing with alcohol-related crime and disorder. If an increase in the minimum price of alcohol reduces alcohol-related crime - and research shows that this could be by as much as 28,900 crimes a year – then I fully support it. | I am also concerned that officers spend a large amount of time dealing with alcohol-related crime and disorder. If an increase in the minimum price of alcohol reduces alcohol-related crime - and research shows that this could be by as much as 28,900 crimes a year – then I fully support it. |
Neil Munslow, who is the council's housing and welfare rights services manager, emphasises the complex range of problems which his staff and partner organisations discover in the core of homeless people. He says: | Neil Munslow, who is the council's housing and welfare rights services manager, emphasises the complex range of problems which his staff and partner organisations discover in the core of homeless people. He says: |
| Sometimes it's difficult to grasp. To many of us, their chaotic lives might seem a self-induced nightmare but in reality, people are just locked into a desperate way of life that they can't escape on their own. That's why we work with people like the Cyrenians and Tyne Housing to reach out to the most excluded people in our society. | Sometimes it's difficult to grasp. To many of us, their chaotic lives might seem a self-induced nightmare but in reality, people are just locked into a desperate way of life that they can't escape on their own. That's why we work with people like the Cyrenians and Tyne Housing to reach out to the most excluded people in our society. |
| Many of the people who work with them are former street sleepers themselves, so they know what it is like not to have a place to call home. They also know what it takes to regain the trust of someone who has lost their faith in society. | Many of the people who work with them are former street sleepers themselves, so they know what it is like not to have a place to call home. They also know what it takes to regain the trust of someone who has lost their faith in society. |
No Second Night Out hopes to build on previous initiatives such as co-operation with Your Homes Newcastle to reduce evictions from council properties. It differs, however, in appealing directly to local people to help the search for those who may be in desperate straits but have passed un-noticed. Munslow says: | No Second Night Out hopes to build on previous initiatives such as co-operation with Your Homes Newcastle to reduce evictions from council properties. It differs, however, in appealing directly to local people to help the search for those who may be in desperate straits but have passed un-noticed. Munslow says: |
| Although our numbers of rough sleepers are small, we cannot be everywhere at once. That's why we need eyes and ears on the streets and that's why we have set up a number which people can dial if they see someone sleeping rough, can really make a difference. | Although our numbers of rough sleepers are small, we cannot be everywhere at once. That's why we need eyes and ears on the streets and that's why we have set up a number which people can dial if they see someone sleeping rough, can really make a difference. |
| This is the beginning of a more open dialogue between the council and people in the community who want to help to stop rough sleeping. We will provide feedback on what happens when someone reports a rough sleeper although, because it wouldn't be right for us to share someone's personal information, we won't always be able to tell you exact details. | This is the beginning of a more open dialogue between the council and people in the community who want to help to stop rough sleeping. We will provide feedback on what happens when someone reports a rough sleeper although, because it wouldn't be right for us to share someone's personal information, we won't always be able to tell you exact details. |
The initiative also hopes to reduce street begging, both by people in genuine desperation and by frauds. Munslow says: | The initiative also hopes to reduce street begging, both by people in genuine desperation and by frauds. Munslow says: |
| People who beg on Northumberland Street know they are likely to get better results if they ask for money because they're homeless rather than for heroin. This is why Northumbria Police recently ran their Your Kindness Could Kill campaign, which we supported, to encourage people to give to charities that support the homeless rather than to beggars. | People who beg on Northumberland Street know they are likely to get better results if they ask for money because they're homeless rather than for heroin. This is why Northumbria Police recently ran their Your Kindness Could Kill campaign, which we supported, to encourage people to give to charities that support the homeless rather than to beggars. |
| We need to make sure no-one in our city spends a second night on our streets. It won't be easy but we welcome your support to help those who are at their lowest ebb. | We need to make sure no-one in our city spends a second night on our streets. It won't be easy but we welcome your support to help those who are at their lowest ebb. |
| You can find out more information about No Second Night Out here. | You can find out more information about No Second Night Out here. |
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