Govan Law Centre condemn the proposal by Glasgow Integration Joint Board to cut £2.6m from homelessness services in Glasgow.
The savings have been put forward in a report to the board by Susanne Millar, Chief Officer Strategy & Operations / Chief Social Work Officer, and Jim McBride, Head of Adult Services (Criminal Justice and Homelessness). These cuts also include a further £500,000 which will be redirected to the Alliance to End Homelessness.
Mike Dailly, solicitor advocate at Govan Law Centre said: “Govan Law Centre condemn any decision to cut £2.6m from the cities homeless services. It is wholly wrong. These are the very charities working every day to tackle homelessness. Glasgow has the worst homeless problem in Scotland. And homelessness in Glasgow, particularly rough sleeping, has been getting worse.
These £2.6m cuts will mean the loss of 100 temp homeless beds in Glasgow and all the vital services organisation like the Simon Community support workers provide. It will be devastating and cause massive disruption. It must be changed.
I served on the recent Scottish Government strategy group to eradicate homelessness in Scotland. Our recommendations were meant to be in addition to the services already being provided, not a cheap substitute. The whole point of rapid re-housing is that people get the wrap around services they need. They get a home quickly but they get the support they need to keep it going.
How you can work to end homelessness by cutting £2.6m from an already small homeless budget is beyond me. Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government must sit down and re-think a decision which will cause misery for so many vulnerable people in Glasgow.”
Notes for editors:
The proposals for savings from homeless services a report by Susanne Millar, Chief Officer Strategy & Operations / Chief Social Work Officer Jim McBride, Head of Adult Services (Criminal Justice and Homelessness) Glasgow City Integration Joint Board to be discussed at the Glasgow City Integration Joint Board on 8 May 2019
See proposals here:
https://glasgowcity.hscp.scot/sites/default/files/publications/ITEM%20No%2010%20-%20Homelessness%20Service%20Savings%202019-20.pdf
https://glasgowcity.hscp.scot/meeting/8-may-2019
