Advertisement
Housing

Oxford city council threatens rough sleepers with £2,500 fine

Homeless people in the city have been warned to remove bags from doorways or face criminal penalties

They may not have much, but homeless people want to hold onto everything they own. Understandably.

In Oxford it has become a struggle to do so. Bosses at the city council are now threatening the rough sleepers who leave possessions in doorways with fines of £2,500.

Legal warnings have been stuck on bags claiming the destitute owners of the items are breaking antisocial behaviour laws.

Larry Sanders, brother of US politician Bernie Sanders and a former Oxford county councillor, denounced the policy as “harassment.” David Thomas, the leader of Oxford city council’s Green Party group, said the warnings were “intimidating.”

In a statement on Twitter, Oxford City Council said the bags left outside fire escape entrances of shops and offices, posed “a risk to those working inside.”

Advertisement
Advertisement

The council added: “We put notices on all the bags, giving owners two days to remove their belongings…Lockers are available for homeless people who are accessing services in the city to store their belongings.”

It’s only a couple of years ago that Oxford Labour tried to fine the homeless for sleeping rough in the city centre.

In 2015, Oxford City Council proposed a ban on rough sleeping in the city under a Public Spaces Protection Order, before a well-organised campaign prevented the draconian measure from being introduced.

The city council decided such a punitive approach to people in personal crisis “was not likely to be the most effective way of tackling these issues.”

Councillor Thomas said: “There a pattern here. It’s only a couple of years ago that Oxford Labour tried to fine the homeless for sleeping rough in the city centre. It took an alliance of student activists, Liberty and the Greens to make them see sense that time.”

Photo: Garry Knight, licensed under Creative Commons.

Advertisement

Change a vendor's life this Christmas

This Christmas, 3.8 million people across the UK will be facing extreme poverty. Thousands of those struggling will turn to selling the Big Issue as a vital source of income - they need your support to earn and lift themselves out of poverty.

Recommended for you

Read All
Rents in UK are rising at highest rate in decades. Will they keep going up?
rents uk
Renting

Rents in UK are rising at highest rate in decades. Will they keep going up?

Mum-of-three hit with 'revenge eviction' after asking for repairs: 'It felt like the end of the world'
Hazell and her three kids faced homelessness until Shelter stepped in
Renting

Mum-of-three hit with 'revenge eviction' after asking for repairs: 'It felt like the end of the world'

Housing minister admits Labour's 1.5 million homes promise will be 'more difficult than expected'
Labour housing minister Matthew Pennycook
Housebuilding

Housing minister admits Labour's 1.5 million homes promise will be 'more difficult than expected'

Surging rental prices are dwarfing inflation – and not enough people are talking about it
To Let signs to attract renters
RENTING

Surging rental prices are dwarfing inflation – and not enough people are talking about it

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue