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Homeless Charity protest

Residents and businesses complain on anti social behaviour

The owner of a business in the area handed in a petition from neighbours of the offices of Path at 87 Abbey Road, close to Torquay town centre, at a meeting of Torbay Council.

But the boss of the charity confirmed it was only there temporarily and said there had been ongoing problems with anti-social behaviour due to drug-dealing in the area before it moved into its new offices.

Katherine Friedrich, chief executive officer of Path, part of the Torbay End Street Homeless (TESH) partnership, said it had been working to successfully reduce rough sleeping and support people in crisis.

She said a small minority of visitors had to be turned away due the charity’s safeguarding policy. It was grateful for use of the building which saved it from becoming homeless, but the location was not ideal as it was on a busy road close to residents and businesses and it was looking for a new base.

The charity was allowed to move in to the building owned by Torbay Council after it had to leave its previous offices in nearby Roebuck House, which had been sold for redevelopment. The council has said offering Path use of the building is a temporary emergency option as the building is on a list to be sold.

The business owner who handed in the petition claimed the behaviour of some clients of the charity had had a big impact on the lives of people in the area of Abbey Road and Warren Road, and he asked for an assurance the property would be sold.

He told councillors: “The council has in fact introduced a substantial problem which has had a very detrimental impact on our lives and businesses.”

He said the charity had attracted drug users and people with alcohol and mental health problems, causing problems of anti-social behaviour round the clock seven days a week.

He said: “There is no let up for residents from noise, drug use and sporadic violence.”

Ms Friedrich of Path –  which stands for People Assisting Torbay’s Homeless – said she understood the petition had been started before the charity moved from Roebuck House to Abbey Road.

She said while the charity was grateful to be offered the building as a temporary lifeline when it had nowhere else to go, its location on a busy road with residents and businesses as neighbours was not ideal, as some clients were in crisis when they sought help.

The charity had a safeguarding policy for allowing people into the offices and had a zero tolerance of  alcohol and illegal drugs, which meant on rare occasions decision had to be made to turn away some visitors.

Ms Friedrich said there had been on-going issues of anti-social behaviour connected with drug use in the area before the charity moved to its new offices, and it was wrong to suggest all the anti-social behaviour problems were a result of the Path being there.

It was also wrong to associate all homeless people with alcohol and drugs, because while some may have an addiction, many were “regular people” who had ended up losing their home for financial and other reasons.

She said: “We are very grateful that we are still able to provide services. We are mindful that we have got residents around us, we are residents of the Bay ourselves.”

Ms Friedrich said Path was a serious charity, supported by volunteers, which ran a food bank and offered other support services, and had played an important part in successfully reducing the number of rough-sleepers in the town.

She said the charity was still looking for a new base, as it would have to leave the Abbey Road building when it was sold by Torbay Council.

The petition from residents was to be considered by Caroline Taylor, the council’s director of adult services and housing, and Cllr Cindy Stocks, executive lead for housing, councillors heard.

In response to earlier concerns raised by residents in the area about drug use and anti-social behaviour, police have said they are working with Torbay Council, the probation service and other partners to target suspects, control behaviour of known offenders and provide help so people can move away from crime.

Torquay Inspector Ian Stevens said police had been working with the council’s anti-social behaviour team, including street wardens and CCTV operators, to share information and target individuals and addresses. That had led to Criminal Behaviour Orders being approved by the courts to address the behaviour of “key individuals”.

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