Latest news with #MustardTree
BBC News
12-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Council wins fight to ban homeless tents camp from Manchester city centre
A camp of tents being used by homeless people in a city centre must be removed after a council won a crucial court City Council has secured a "possession order" against people living in tents in St Peter's Square next to the town hall, effectively evicting them. The "red tent camp" sprang up last spring, initially as a protest, but soon morphed into a long-term spot for homeless people to stay.A legal challenge from the Greater Manchester Law Centre to stop the council's bid to take possession of the land failed on Tuesday. The council welcomed the ruling but did not confirm when the tents would be removed."We have been clear with those camping in the square that this is not a safe, suitable or sanitary place from which to access this support," a spokeswoman from the authority said."Nor does camping in a public space accelerate their homelessness application or gain them any other advantage."The law centre formally represented one asylum seeker, who saw the council's claim against him withdrawn. 'Going through hell' The case included dozens more unrepresented refugees, with about 40 appearing in civil court, the Local Democracy Reporting Service refugee told the court: "It's not something we chose or have the option [to do], so everyone is going through hell."The law centre's Kathy Cosgrove accused Manchester City Council of deliberately diverting people from the camp to an Ancoats charity, Mustard Tree, which had no statutory duty. She claimed the council "operated a policy of not accepting people they knew were homeless because they wanted to make an example of these defendants and not provide for them".But Kuljit Bhogal KC, representing the council, rebuked these claims and said the Mustard Tree was offered to all asylum seekers and was open to non-asylum seekers."There's specific provision there with interpreters," she said. "The provision to have a conversation in the warm."Ms Bhogal said that those living in homeless camps had been accommodated by the council either in temporary accommodation or by private landlords."It's simply not right to say the statutory duty has been bypassed," she Nigel Bird ruled the refugees — considered trespassers in law — must remove their said: "St Peter's Square is a public amenity. It stands at the heart of the city and its amenity in my judgment is available for all. "I am comforted each of the defendants, named or otherwise, is within part seven of the [housing] system and I am confident the system will move forward." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
St Peter's Square red tent camp of homeless people WILL be removed following court ruling
The St Peter's Square homeless camp tents must be removed after the council won a crucial court ruling. Manchester council has secured a 'possession order' against scores of people living in tents next to the town hall, effectively evicting them. The 'red tent camp' sprang up last spring, initially as a protest, but soon morphed into a long-term spot homeless people stayed in. Now the camp's days appear to be numbered, as a legal challenge from the Greater Manchester Law Centre to stop the council's bid to take possession of the land failed on Tuesday (February 11). The Law Centre formally represented one asylum seeker, who saw the council's claim against him withdrawn. The case included dozens more unrepresented refugees, with roughly 40 appearing in civil court. During the proceedings, one refugee told His Honour Judge Nigel Bird he did 'not think anybody with a tent there is happy or comfortable'. READ MORE: Kensington Palace issue unprecedented statement in defence of Princess Kate READ MORE: Missing man in Tenerife has been 'found needing medical care' after family flies out to search, says sister 'It's not something we chose or have the option [to do], so everyone is going through hell,' he added. The packed courtroom 40 heard Manchester council 'operated a policy of not accepting people they knew were homeless because they wanted to make an example of these defendants and not provide for them', according to the Law Centre's Kathy Cosgrove. 'On October 8, the rough sleepers team told them [Ancoats charity] Mustard Tree was the only place to get advice,' she continued. 'They are diverting them to a voluntary organisation which has no statutory duty.' Oliver Edwards, also appearing for the Law Centre, added: 'The diversion tactic only applying to refugees moving to Mustard Tree is unfavourable treatment they did not subject UK nationals to. There's a discrepancy between UK nationals and non-UK nationals.' Kuljit Bhogal KC, representing the council, rebuked the claims. She told the court: 'In so far as it's suggested there's a failure of duty, that's rejected.' She added the 'Mustard Tree is offered to all asylum seekers' and open to non-asylum seekers. 'There's specific provision there with interpreters,' she explained. 'The provision to have a conversation in the warm.' Ms Bhogal added homeless camp residents 'have been accommodated' by the council 'through temporary accommodation or the private rented sector'. 'It's simply not right to say the statutory duty has been bypassed,' she went on, also suggesting the camp became a 'revolving door' as new refugees moved in as previous residents were housed by authorities. HHJ Bird called 'the submission Manchester City Council has deliberately diverted those in St Peter's Square' to the Mustard Tree 'a very serious allegation' which was 'not made out in the evidence I have seen'. He ruled the refugees — considered trespassers in law — must remove their tents: 'For all those reasons I have come to the conclusion there's no basis I can order direction in regard to the unrepresented defendants. 'I therefore order the unrepresented defendants give up possession of St Peter's Square and I will make an order accordingly. 'St Peter's Square is a public amenity. It stands at the heart of the city and its amenity in my judgment is available for all. I am comforted each of the defendants, named or otherwise, is within part seven of the [housing] system and I am confident the system will move forward. 'I do not order in regards to the 14th defendant [represented by the Law Centre]. I make a possession order in relation to possession of St Peter's Square with the other defendants.'
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Manchester refugee support hub tells of pressure on services
Council and charity bosses in Manchester have told how they are struggling to cope with a rising number of refugees sleeping rough or in tents in the city's centre.A council-funded support hub service said it had helped more than 1,000 people since March 2024, with nearly two thirds having been evicted from asylum hotels elsewhere in the majority of them have fled wars in Africa, including Abdullah Zaeed, an English teacher who fled civil war in Sudan and went on to spend weeks living on the streets in City Council deputy leader Joanna Midgley said the problem needs "a national answer". She said refugees were attracted to Manchester because it is a "friendly, global city" but many end up sleeping rough because they "don't have priority need" for social housing. "Camping outside the town hall is not the answer to that, we want to try and get people to services where they can get the right help and support," she said. Mr Zaeed, 31, spent two weeks sleeping rough after being evicted from his hotel in Fallowfield last year and has since found temporary accommodation. He said: "Some people say the UK is not like the UK we expected because we came from terrible conditions and we end up in terrible conditions again."Nearly two thirds of the refugees arriving in Manchester have received their refugee status elsewhere in the UK, according to homelessness charity Mustard supported more than 1,000 refugees between March and December last year, with about 328 from Eritrea and 290 from Sudan. Many of the refugees have travelled to Manchester from Liverpool, Birmingham and Burnley, with others coming from other towns across the north of England. Salah Benson, 20, who was also forced to leave Sudan due to the war, is due to leave his Manchester hotel soon after being given the right to remain. He has been volunteering as he tries to get a job and said many refugees travel to the city in the belief it offers a better quality of life than other places."Some of them, after they get their refugee status from other cities, they move and come to Manchester because they think they'll have better opportunities and its cheaper," he said. 'National answer' About 66% of asylum claims were granted for refugees arrived to the UK on small boats and were moved to hotels in the year ending September Mustard Tree and the council told BBC Radio Manchester many refugees coming to Manchester would not receive social housing as they are young and single, and therefore would not be considered a priority for new homes. They also said the refugees have arrived in a city where the homelessness support system is already overwhelmed. "It's a national issue and we need a national answer to it," Ms Midgley said."Things like learning English, having access to training and there is a campaign also to let them have the right to work."That would all help because when the time comes that they get their decision to stay, they'll be more prepared to integrate and to participate in society." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
