Doncaster Council wants new powers to tackle town centre begging
Councillors in Doncaster are consulting on new rules in the town centre to try and tackle a rise in begging in recent months
Last updated 30th Aug 2017
Councillors in Doncaster say more and more people are begging on the streets of the town centre - and they want new powers to help move them on.
They're consulting on a new set of rules to tackle the problem, which include banning people asking for money by placing a cap or container on the ground, and from sleeping on the streets.
It's called a Public Space Protection Order, and would give council officers extra powers to ask people to leave the town centre if they're breaking the rules.
"It's a hard life on the streets"
Jonathan's been living on the streets of Doncaster for three years - and begs for money to survive.
He says these rules aren't the right way to go about tackling homelessness:
"If they get moved on, half the people will just do crime instead of this. It's important because I've got to feed myself. I know there are food places but they're not open every day. It's a dog eat dog world.
"It's a massive problem and it needs sorting out once and for all. I need my own place where no-one can bother me because it's dangerous on these streets. People jump in your bed when you're asleep and everything. It's a hard life on the streets.
"They just need to get more houses and flats. To get people off drugs they can't go in shared houses - if they want to stay off drugs they need their own place."
The council, though, say the rules are only for use as a last resort and they're part of 'wrap-around' support to help homeless people turn their lives around.
Rachael Blake - from Doncaster Council - says they're needed:
"This is for those people who persistently don't want to engage. When we review this in 6 months time, what we as cabinet members will want to know is how many people are now getting support, how many people have been moved on to accommodation, how many people are now gettying jobs.
Last resort
"There are lots of rumours out there that certain services aren't available and because we've now got the outreach service, we've got more people providing this outreach, it means people aren't falling through the net so I don't see it as an easy way to tackle the problem.
"There are a number of people in Doncaster that have complex lives for a number of different reasons and because of that it means they are homeless and on the street. And what we are doing in Doncaster is something very different. We're joining up all the services that are supporting people and making sure they don't fall through the net."
The new rules would stop people from sleeping rough and begging, as well as carrying out anti-social behaviour like drinking alcohol, taking drugs and hanging around in large groups.
Anyone breaking the rules who's asked to leave the town centre wouldn't be allowed back for 24 hours.
The council have today launched a consultation on the Public Space Protection Order which ends on Tuesday 26th September - you can have your say here.