Havant Borough Council has been carrying out its SWEP (Severe Weather Emergency Protocol) to provide emergency accommodation for those rough sleeping during the continued freezing temperatures.
During this period of severe weather, the council is seeking to provide emergency accommodation for rough sleepers to prevent harm or death due to the severe weather.
The SWEP response is used by many local authorities when there is a forecast of 0°C or below. Severe weather does also include heat waves, high winds and flooding.
Councillor Amy Redsull, Cabinet lead for Housing, said “With temperatures dropping to below zero, we have activated our Severe Weather Emergency Protocol to ensure anyone sleeping rough in these freezing conditions is offered help and support.”
“Our Housing team have already been working closely with Two Saints to contact known rough sleepers in the borough to encourage them to take up the offer of emergency accommodation and offer additional support for anyone continuing to sleep rough during the period of freezing temperatures.”
“If you see or know of a rough sleeper or a homeless person, and have any concerns, please report it, so we can assist them as quickly as possible.”
To report any known rough sleepers or a homeless person that you have concerns about, please contact one of the following places:
Havant Borough Council
Email: Housing.services2@havant.gov.uk
Call: 023 9244 6379
Out Of Hours (from 5:00pm onwards)
Email: SharedMailbox.HousingOOH@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Call: 023 9282 4244
Two Saints
Visit: www.twosaints.org.uk
Call: 023 9247 7863
Or send an alert to the local rough sleeping outreach service by visiting www.thestreetlink.org.uk.
Alternatively, anyone sleeping rough can drop in to the Public Service Plaza, between 9am and 5pm to seek advice and assistance.
Forecasts and temperatures will be monitored on a daily basis, with SWEP continuing to be activated on every night the Met Office forecasts freezing overnight temperatures to ensure that at the most critical times everyone can be kept safe and warm.