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| Stoke-on-Trent homeless would risk £1k fine in tent ban plan | Stoke-on-Trent homeless would risk £1k fine in tent ban plan |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Homeless people may face a £1,000 fine if they are found sleeping in tents under new plans to ban rough sleepers. | Homeless people may face a £1,000 fine if they are found sleeping in tents under new plans to ban rough sleepers. |
| The three-year ban, which also includes aggressive begging and drinking, is planned for Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. | The three-year ban, which also includes aggressive begging and drinking, is planned for Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. |
| Official council estimates say up to 17 people sleep rough on the streets of Stoke each night. | Official council estimates say up to 17 people sleep rough on the streets of Stoke each night. |
| Ian Brayshaw, from the Hanley One Residents Association, disagreed with the proposal, saying: "In one sense it's no solution at all." | |
| The plans put forward by Stoke-on-Trent City Council detail that anyone found to be "assembling, erecting, occupying or using a tent" in an unauthorised area could be fined up to £1,000. | The plans put forward by Stoke-on-Trent City Council detail that anyone found to be "assembling, erecting, occupying or using a tent" in an unauthorised area could be fined up to £1,000. |
| The ban would be in place in the centre of Hanley, Hanley Park and two retail parks in Etruria. | The ban would be in place in the centre of Hanley, Hanley Park and two retail parks in Etruria. |
| Insp Sean Clark said Staffordshire Police "fully support" the proposals. | Insp Sean Clark said Staffordshire Police "fully support" the proposals. |
| "Along with a range of other powers, it will allow us to tackle anti-social behaviour that impacts on visitors to the area and those people who live and work within the city centre," he said. | "Along with a range of other powers, it will allow us to tackle anti-social behaviour that impacts on visitors to the area and those people who live and work within the city centre," he said. |
| The chair of the Stoke-on-Trent homeless forum says she is not against the idea, but questioned where the homeless people would go. | The chair of the Stoke-on-Trent homeless forum says she is not against the idea, but questioned where the homeless people would go. |
| Wendy Hocking added the proposed ban was about making the area "a better place for other residents". | Wendy Hocking added the proposed ban was about making the area "a better place for other residents". |
| The public space protection order would ban: | The public space protection order would ban: |
| Mr Brayshaw said many of those people living on the streets had limited options. | Mr Brayshaw said many of those people living on the streets had limited options. |
| "It's treating a symptom and actually the problem is to do with services for the homeless, drug and alcohol services, people who've got themselves into very difficult situations." | "It's treating a symptom and actually the problem is to do with services for the homeless, drug and alcohol services, people who've got themselves into very difficult situations." |