9 May 2012
Dear Councillor,
Re: Cuts to Emergency Beds for the Homeless
We are writing to you on behalf of ‘Rochdale Chill-Out’, an apolitical group of people who came together as a result of the decision by Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council to slash the number of emergency beds. We are informed that virtually all of the beds prior to the cuts were almost always in full occupancy.
We would specifically wish to know your views and intentions with regard to this issue? As you will be aware, these cuts have already resulted in the closure of Providence House, the hostel and support facility run by the Salvation Army.
‘Chill-Out’ feels that this places the most vulnerable and dispossessed of Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton’s citizens in a very precarious position that could result in very pronounced mental and physical health issues and in the worst cases, early mortality.
We really would like to ascertain your own views on this matter and would welcome the opportunity to discuss them further with you. We know that RMBC is under severe budgetary restraint but feel that this is a cut too far and leaves the most vulnerable people in society to bear the brunt.
We further believe that the ‘Dial-A-Bed’ facility will only meet the needs of a tiny proportion of this group.
We are asking you to examine this as a matter of urgency and use your influence or take any action possible in order to prevent more deaths on the streets.
We would be grateful for your early response and look forward to discussing this issue further with you at our ‘Chill-Out’ at the Town Hall on May 29th.
You can find out more about us by following our Blog at http://chilloutrmbc.blogspot.co.uk and @Chil1Out on Twitter.
Yours sincerely,
Pete Hinchliffe & Shirley Kennedy
Chill-Out Co-Organisers
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