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Begging is a "growing concern for residents" in Nottingham after the number of reported incidents in the city centre "increased significantly", a council chief has warned.

Between January and September last year, 2,384 incidents were reported to Nottingham City Council's community protection officers (CPOs) and the police.

The city council said 59 percent of begging activity happens within the city centre, with hot spots including Exchange Walk, Clumber Street, Maypole Yard, Angel Row.

Begging is classed as a criminal offence, punishable by a court imposing a fine of up to £1,000. Courts can also impose sanctions such as drug rehabilitation orders.

The city council has now published a new strategy to help tackle the issue, which will focus on offering shelter, providing support and enforcement.

And two new task forces are being set up by the city council and police to focus on prolific beggars.

(Image: Angela Ward)

The overall aim of the strategy is "to improve the quality of the city centre environment and experience for residents, visitors and businesses through the effective management of begging".

The man tasked with leading the council’s response to begging, Councillor Toby Neal, portfolio holder for community service, said: "Begging in Nottingham is a growing concern for residents, visitors and businesses, with reported incidents increasing significantly this last year, and we take whatever action we can to try to address this.

"While we continue to invest significantly to provide rough sleepers with the support they need to find accommodation and work and address health issues, we know that most rough sleepers do not beg and many beggars are not homeless."

A new strategy designed to create a "coordinated and concerted partnership response" to the offence and underlying causes of begging will be launched in Nottingham.

Nottingham City Council has published its new £40,000 strategy to tackle to tackle the issue, which is expected to see new task forces - made up of police and community protection officers - introduced to focus on prolific beggars in the city centre.

The councillor who leads the local authority’s response to begging, Councillor Toby Neal, portfolio holder for community service, said the issue "causes annoyance and can con people into giving money".

He added: "This is increasingly important as public sector funding reductions and welfare reforms imposed by this Government continue to have an impact.

“We’re pleased that Nottinghamshire Police have agreed to support the establishment of a new Integrated Offender Management Team that will have a focus on prolific beggars in the city centre, but we continue to urge them to arrest those who beg.

"Addiction and criminal activity often go hand in hand with begging, and arrests are one of the most effective means to reduce re-offending and ensure those with addition issues are connected with the support and rehabilitation available to them."

The city council said that 90 percent of people begging in the city centre are men, between 26 and 45 years old, and UK nationals.

It also suggests that 60 percent of people who were found begging in the city centre are in some form of accomodation.

The council's community protection officers have reported that large number beggars they have dealt with have been using or in possession of 'black mamba' or 'spice'.

Thomas Crampton, 29, said he has been begging in the city centre for 15 years, and was given a criminal behaviour order last September.

Originally of Aspley, he said: "I do not feel that the council has helped me enough. You walk around Nottingham and you see all the derelict buildings which could be turned in to hostels.

"I have been in prison, I have been in hostels, I have had mental health workers, and have been in the care system.

"I shouldn't be living like this - in a tent.

"I beg every day. Some days you can make nothing, some days £30, but normally not very much.

"I hate asking people for money, it is degrading but I still do it because I need to eat.

"I first started 15 years ago when I was in and out of care homes. I needed some money so I sat down. I saw a homeless guy doing it and thought I would try it. I made a killing then because I was a kid.

"I am on the street at the moment, I have not been able to get in to a hostel because I can’t afford the first night."

The city council's new begging strategy will focus on offering shelter, providing support and enforcement.

As part of this, the city council said everyone who is begging in the city centre with a local connection to Nottingham will be offered a roof over their heads, and those without a local connection will be offered support and reconnection to their area of origin.

Between January and September last year, 2,384 incidents were reported to Nottingham City Council's community protection officers (CPOs) and the police.

The city council said it was unable to provide total figures for 2016.

The city council will launch a new 'Active Street Outreach Team' to refer those that beg on the streets into tailored support. This team will work closely with the existing Nottingham Street Drinking and Begging Case Conference Group.

And the strategy documents state that Nottinghamshire Police will establish a new Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Team to address high volume, lower risk crime in Nottingham city centre, to cover around 40 offenders, including prolific beggars.

Homelessness charity Framework said beggars face more "complex issues" - and should not face enforcement action.

Chief executive of the charity Andrew Redfern said: "Begging is not a focus of Framework’s activity. Our purpose is to assist homeless and other vulnerable people, including people who find themselves sleeping rough.

"There is some overlap, but it’s important to remember that most people who beg are not homeless, and most homeless people do not beg.

"It should not be assumed that people who beg are doing so simply to make a nuisance of themselves. Those who engage in this activity usually do so for a range of inter-connected reasons that may not be immediately obvious.

"These issues – including alcohol and substance misuse, mental ill-health and abusive relationships, need to be understood and addressed alongside any enforcement activity.

"Some of those who beg are very vulnerable indeed. Even if they do have a place to live, the risks associated with begging are such that it poses an ongoing threat to the wellbeing of the person concerned.

"Framework welcomes the introduction of the city council’s new strategy, with its emphasis on support. We will do whatever we can to assist the implementation of the strategy, especially among people who are homeless and may be sleeping rough."

Between January 2017 to September 2017, Nottinghamshire Police arrested 14 people for begging in a public place.

Police officers are expected to be involved in the new task force being set up as part of the strategy, although no further details about its implementation have been released at this stage.

Chief Inspector Mark Stanley, of Nottinghamshire Police’s city centre and community protection policing teams, said: “We continue to work together with our partners to address the issue of begging, rough sleeping and homelessness in the city through the Street Engagement Team, which is a team of police officers funded through the city council’s Community Protection directorate.

“We are looking for opportunities to extend that great partnership work to address some of the offending committed by people who we are already engaged with through the Street Engagement Team.

"We will continue to engage with people, help find housing, offer them help and treatment if necessary, and where necessary we will consider criminal and civil powers available to us to enforce breaches of the law.”

The city council already funds other schemes which aim to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness.

In December last year, the city council announced millions of pounds was being set aside to help deal with homelessness.

(Image: Mark Fear)

It hopes to create a more integrated approach to how it deals with homelessness by creating a single body to tackle the issue.

Also a new website launched in the same month as part of the initiative 'Help Out Nottingham', which aims to raise awareness of the many support services available city-wide.

The website has useful tips on how to make informed choices about ways in which you can show your support for those who are suffering.

The Framework Street Outreach Team can be contacted 24 hours a day on 0800 066 5356 to give advice and guidance to anyone rough sleeping, or to those that may know someone that is.