21/7/2008Night shelter for homeless is axed
A NIGHT shelter for Glasgow’s homeless has been axed after a funding cut.
The Salvation Army’s Laurieston Centre will no longer provide emergency accommodation to people forced to sleep on the streets.
The night service was targeted for closure in April, but Glasgow City Council agreed to give extra cash to keep it open for a further two months.
But the charity was unsuccessful in finding an alternative funding partner to secure the long-term future of the shelter.
Launched in December 2004, the centre’s night service was aimed at providing an emergency lifeline for men and women forced to sleep on the streets.
From 10pm every Monday to Friday they could have a hot meal, a shower and fresh clothes.
A council spokesman said the funding cut was linked to a city-wide programme of improvements to homeless services.
Around 80 emergency beds have been put in place to cope with the loss of the service.
The Laurieston, off Oxford Street, also operates a dedicated
day service for some of Glasgow’s most vulnerable citizens, offering drug and alcohol rehabiliation services. This will remain open.
A Salvation Army spokeswoman said: “The service was initially set up as an emergency
service and the funding was guaranteed for only three years.
“All seven night staff have been redeployed to other services.”
In the past four years 700 hostel beds at crumbling hostels have been decommissioned by
the council as part of a review of services.
However, 619 new supported accommodation beds and 1000 temporary furnished flats have been created.
The council says the changes have led to a 22% reduction in homelessness applications across four years and a reduction from 30% to 10% for the number of repeat homelessness applications.
The Salvation Army also runs a city re-settlement centre for the homeless, with 42 self-contained flats in the South Side.
The Salvation Army’s Laurieston Centre will no longer provide emergency accommodation to people forced to sleep on the streets.
The night service was targeted for closure in April, but Glasgow City Council agreed to give extra cash to keep it open for a further two months.
But the charity was unsuccessful in finding an alternative funding partner to secure the long-term future of the shelter.
Launched in December 2004, the centre’s night service was aimed at providing an emergency lifeline for men and women forced to sleep on the streets.
From 10pm every Monday to Friday they could have a hot meal, a shower and fresh clothes.
A council spokesman said the funding cut was linked to a city-wide programme of improvements to homeless services.
Around 80 emergency beds have been put in place to cope with the loss of the service.
The Laurieston, off Oxford Street, also operates a dedicated
day service for some of Glasgow’s most vulnerable citizens, offering drug and alcohol rehabiliation services. This will remain open.
A Salvation Army spokeswoman said: “The service was initially set up as an emergency
service and the funding was guaranteed for only three years.
“All seven night staff have been redeployed to other services.”
In the past four years 700 hostel beds at crumbling hostels have been decommissioned by
the council as part of a review of services.
However, 619 new supported accommodation beds and 1000 temporary furnished flats have been created.
The council says the changes have led to a 22% reduction in homelessness applications across four years and a reduction from 30% to 10% for the number of repeat homelessness applications.
The Salvation Army also runs a city re-settlement centre for the homeless, with 42 self-contained flats in the South Side.