A drop in overnight temperatures will see Exeter City Council introduce emergency measures to bring rough sleepers inside this week.
The City Council is activating its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) once more, this time from Wednesday evening through to Monday 17 March, as temperatures are forecast to dip towards freezing for Exeter.
The Council will review the Protocol next Monday.
The Protocol makes extra emergency accommodation available to rough sleepers.
Cllr Marina Asvachin, Lead Councillor for Housing, Homelessness Prevention and Customer Services, said: “Everybody has been enjoying the spring sunshine but it’s still early March and those temperatures are going to be plummeting again this week.
“With every night that someone sleeps rough on the streets, they are seriously at risk. That risk increases when temperatures fall below freezing, so that is why we are activating SWEP.”
Once again, the City Council is providing additional emergency bed spaces during the cold spell to help reduce the chance of harm.
The Council is reminding members of the public that they can report someone they believe to be rough sleeping to Streetlink at https://www.streetlink.org.uk/
Streetlink is also useful for those that are sleeping rough, who might want to find out about local support services and get some help. They might be sleeping outside or in places that aren't designed for people to live in, including cars or vans, doorways and abandoned buildings.
The SWEP means that individuals confirmed by the outreach service – working with other local homelessness partner agencies - as sleeping rough in the city, will be contacted and offered the opportunity to come indoors during this spell of cold weather, where spaces are available.
The Council works hard with partners in the city to make extra accommodation available during particularly cold or extreme weather.
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