City faces a homelessness crisis says charity

Glasgow Council leader Susan Aitken must step up or step down, a homeless charity has warned.

It follows pictures of a homeless people sleeping rough at the front doors of the City Chambers.

Homeless Project Scotland said Glasgow is in the grip of a homelessness crisis which needs desperately addressed.

Colin McInnes of the charity said: "The pictures are very sad - homeless is at a crisis level in the city.

"We called the council's commissioned service at 6.20pm they had finished for the night which is shocking.

"We see people sleeping rough all the time at the chambers only if the SNP and Susan Aiken would open the door and let them in.

"The government and council should come ask us instead of paid services that say what the council and government want to hear."

The same charity shared pictures last year showing mothers and young children queuing up for food at their soup kitchen in the snow.

He added: "We say Susan Aiken step up or step down.

"The authority must listen to the Homeless Project Scotland give us a voice for the people of Scotlands homeless and give us a building to open doors 24hrs to help people into safe warmth.

"They should also change policy stop making it so difficult for people to access accommodation and put people into accommodation that’s fit for humans no places that are horrific."

A spokeswoman for Glasgow’s Homeless Services said: “No-one need sleep rough in Glasgow, help is available and Glasgow’s Alliance to End Homelessness is currently running an awareness campaign highlighting how to help anyone who is rough sleeping.

“The Get Help Glasgow campaign is urging people to store the free Rough Sleepers and Vulnerable People (RSVP) helpline number in their mobile phones, so if someone is rough sleeping and needs immediate support, the Street Team commissioned by Glasgow City Council and operated by Simon Community Scotland can find them and get them the right support.

“Both Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Health & Social Care Partnership are partners in the Alliance and are encouraging people to contact the RSVP team to help rough sleepers.”