CITY council staff have worked closely with hotels, university colleges and homelessness agencies to keep rough sleepers off Oxford streets during the coronavirus lockdown.
They are among those who are being thanked for performing a vital role during the crisis.
At the start of the lockdown in March, council bosses were instructed by the government to take the unprecedented step of relocating rough sleepers in shared hostel spaces to ensure the virus did not spread.
READ AGAIN: Rhodes to go: how Oxford leaders reacted
Successful partnerships allowed the council to quickly secure a total of 121 rooms in hotels and student accommodation blocks.
More than 100 formerly homeless people were given accommodation with support– including the provision of food and essential items.
The council’s Housing Needs team forged new partnerships with hotels, the YHA and, from Oxford University, Said Business School, University College and Pembroke College.
READ MORE: Latest court results for Oxfordshire
Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing and supporting the homeless when lockdown started, said earlier: “With 121 hotel and student rooms laid on in a matter of weeks, our housing team and partners old and new have worked incredibly hard to protect homeless people from coronavirus. I’d like to thank them for their effort and commitment.
“We’ve offered hotel rooms to everyone on the streets and are also mindful that the coronavirus emergency could lead to more people becoming homeless in future. We’re exploring options to provide a wider range of accommodation that – whatever happens – will help ensure nobody should have to sleep rough in Oxford during these unprecedented times.”
At the end of March the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) told councils it was “imperative that rough sleepers and other vulnerable homeless are supported into appropriate accommodation.”
In Oxford this included people in the new centre for rough sleepers in Floyds Row, off St Aldate’s and the assessment service at O’Hanlon House who could not practise social distancing because they were living in shared spaces.
READ MORE: Major police incident in Didcot
By the time of the MHCLG direction the council was already working closely with Public Health England, Thames Valley Police, Turning Point, St Mungo’s outreach (OxSPOT), supported housing and day service providers to help ensure the safety of homeless people in Oxford.
This meant that 21 hotel rooms were already available for people experiencing rough sleeping on March 26. Forty more hotel rooms were secured the following day, with another 42 rooms in the YHA in Botley Road added.
READ MORE: Improved cycle path on the cards along the Thames
Another 18 rooms were provide in self-contained student accommodation leased through new partnerships with the university, and Said Business School offered 12 rooms outside the city centre that are now available for people at high risk.
The council is waiting to hear from MHCLG on what should happen as lockdown eases.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel