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Have you noticed these signs placed on rough sleepers' belongings in and around Bath city centre?

The notices order rough sleepers to move from a specific location within two days or face being moved along by members of the council’s housing team, and possibly even the police.

If the orders are not obeyed, members of the council’s housing team have the power to remove the rough sleeper from their location.

Rough sleepers also face the prospect of having their few possessions taken from them if they aren’t there when the orders are executed.

This is part of a Bath and North East Somerset Council policy to prevent rough sleepers from putting up tents and other structures without permission.

As well as banning the erection of tents or any other structures without permission, the notice also prohibits staying in the city’s parks in caravans, vans or any other vehicles.

This notice below was placed on the belongings of two rough sleepers in Parade Gardens.

The rough sleepers said they had left their possessions under a sheltered alcove in Parade Gardens for an hour on Thursday, December 28.

But when they returned, the notice was tied to a trolley they use to cart around their few possessions.

The rough sleepers, who didn’t want to be named, explained they didn’t really know what the council expected them to do, or where they were expected to go.

Last month the Chronicle reported a dramatic rise in the number of rough sleepers in the local authority area.

A spokesman from B&NES said: “We are trying to help rough sleepers and don’t just remove their belongings immediately.

“We try to speak to the person face to face and if they are not there, we then leave a letter saying we’d like them to leave the site in two days.

"At the same time we contact [Bath homeless charity] Julian House which sends its staff to offer sleepers alternative and positive options.

“When someone moves on we are then often left with non-personal items which are stored and eventually disposed of if unclaimed. “

Services listed by the council to help rough sleepers include:

• Manvers Street Hostel which has 20 direct access and nine move on units.

• Assertive Outreach Service which has four full-time officers helping people leave the street, now offering new drop-in assistance at Lewis House.

• Report a Rough Sleeper Website for concerns from the public about rough sleeping www.streetlink.org.uk

• Day Centre held every day at Manvers Street Hostel with hot meals and activities.

• The Homesearch Register to help people leave supported housing and become independent.

• Access to private rented housing (Homefinders) to help people pay for advanced rent and deposit.

• Emergency accommodation in severe weather which provides an overflow for when the Manvers Street Hostel is full at times of extreme cold and wet.

• Case Management through a multi-agency group called Task and Targeting to share information and identify solutions for entrenched rough sleepers.

• Strategic Homelessness Partnership of local providers, commissioners and other interested parties considering strategic priorities.

Cecil Weir of Julian House expressed some sympathy with property owners but added that one of the direct causes was a lack of sustainable housing for homeless people.

He said: "The issue of where rough sleepers' store their belongings has been around for a very long time.

“The ad hoc bedding that they need to survive overnight is often squirreled away behind buildings or in hedges or, if they are fortunate, they carry a sleeping bag in a rucksack.

“On some occasions they find a space that feels safe and leave their kit to back to the next night.

“If that space is in a shop doorway or other very public space it can cause inconvenience for a landlord showing a prospective tenant around.

“In such cases Julian House has some sympathy with property owners and has been working with B&NES Council and Bath BID to try and find ways to reduce the problem. Visits have been to other towns and cities to try and evaluate other schemes. One active idea is lockers or other secure storage where belongings could be stored out of the rain.

“Whilst this and other ideas are being worked up we are liaising closely with the Council to ensure that rough sleepers have reasonable notice to collect their bedding etc and that valuable personal effects such as family photographs etc are not binned.

“Ultimately this problem is a result of the high numbers of men and women who are having to sleep outside. Julian House is working hard to move clients off the street and into sustainable housing - of which there is a dire shortage.

“This is where action on the shameful number of long term empty properties in B&NES could have a really positive impact."

The Chronicle is supporting the Julian House Christmas Appeal. If you want to donate to the appeal you can here.

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