Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz has announced her intention to establish a task force to look at the specific challenges surrounding street homelessness, particularly at Stratford Mall and surrounding areas.
The decision to set up the task force was announced as the Mayor withdrew a Cabinet paper which had been drawn up to tackle the problem but which the Mayor felt did not reflect the compassion and care approach that her administration is committed to when dealing with our most vulnerable.
She said: “Doing nothing is not an option and the task force will comprise of independent experts in the field and be chaired by Statutory Deputy Mayor Councillor John Gray. A lot of hard work has already been done, including a 39% reduction in street homelessness in the past six months, but I want to ensure what we are doing is being done sensitively.”
The task force will be asked to undertake a comprehensive review of existing plans, strategies and interventions, alongside a wide-ranging consultation with all relevant partners and stakeholders, including councillors.
The Mayor said: “Whatever we do about the homelessness situation in Stratford and elsewhere has to be rooted in compassion and care. In July, a new paper will be brought to cabinet, setting out the terms of reference for the task force. It will then, over the coming months, work to produce and present a comprehensive paper to cabinet outlining a carefully scoped proposal informed by experts in this area with the aim of delivering a strategy for the homelessness situation in Stratford rooted in compassion and care.”