An Act of Parliament has been passed aiming to end rough sleeping by 2027. This is being backed with more than £1 billion of funding. The amount of extra money being given to Bournemouth is £387,500.
This issue is a priority for Conor. In recent months, he has visited The Big Issue's local office, met with Shelter, volunteered with Winton Salvation Army, met former rough sleepers at the YMCA, and supported the ‘Health Bus’. Conor is also planning a homelessness conference with local charity Faithworks and Bournemouth University. The aim of the conference is to discuss how charities, companies and local authorities can work in partnership with one another to tackle rough sleeping.
Conor said, “I share the real concerns of local people about this problem. We must have tough enforcement action against professional beggers – many of whom have homes. But we must also have proper collaborative working between charities, professional bodies and local authorities to offer support to those who really need it.”
