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A row has broken out after council chiefs claimed a group feeding a homeless camp at a former school “are doing more harm than good.”

Council bosses criticised the Help Wrexham Homeless Group saying it was “undermining a lot of hard work” being done for homeless people at the former Groves site opposite the town centre police station .

However, Angie Hammons of the group hit back insisting members had identified gaps between Thursday mornings and Friday evenings and the weekends where no food was provided, which they were filling in.

Members of Help Wrexham Homeless have been bringing food and supplies to a homeless camp, which sprang up at the former school during the last couple of months, which local authority officials are “tolerating”.

Wrexham council’s lead member for communities, partnerships, public protection and community safety, Cllr Hugh Jones said: “However well-intended their efforts are, they continue to undermine the work of the Wrexham Community Safety Partnership with those occupying the site and are negatively affecting our ability to resolve the long-term issues from which they are suffering.

“We have repeatedly stated that this group is undermining a lot of hard work, and they are doing more harm than good.

“In the meantime, we are working with the official Wrexham Homeless Group and AVOW in a partnership that is bringing together all the resources needed to address the complex problems and I again ask this group to work with the established voluntary organisations already working in partnership.”

But Ms Hammons said: “It is important for the council to be aware of exactly what we do, as to date they have relied on supposition and hearsay.

“We have provided, via donations, sleeping bags, clothing, food, blankets and tents. We did provide one small radio.

(Image: Daily Post Wales)

“We have researched the gaps in existing services and identified shortfalls between Thursday mornings and Friday evenings and at weekends.

"There is no food provided during these times, and we have made this our priority in recent weeks.

“We have encouraged the individuals on the Groves to engage with local services, and to seek help.”

The two sides have also clashe over a petition launched by the group, calling for a public meeting over the issue.

Cllr Jones claimed it wasn’t a valid petition with fictious names, but Ms Hammons insisted it was genuine.

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