THREE people died on the streets of Weymouth last year, it has been revealed, as one resident spoke out about the ‘inhumane’ way rough sleepers are treated.

PCSOs are tasked with checking that those sleeping on the streets are still alive each morning, as temperatures plunge this winter.

The borough council is now looking to enforce regulations to remove and destroy the belongings of rough sleepers if they are left unaccompanied in shop doorways and elsewhere in the town centre for more than three hours.

It comes as government figures reveal that the number of rough sleepers in Weymouth and Portland has more than doubled in the last five years.

Resident Frances Underwood addressed a meeting of the Weymouth and Portland Borough Council management committee, urging councillors to do more, and encourage services to co-ordinate what they are doing.

She said: “This should not be happening in this country in the 21st Century. Whatever their problems, they are human beings.

“Did you know three people died on our streets last winter?”

Mrs Underwood added: “No one should have to live like this. It’s inhumane. You wouldn’t treat an animal this way.”

Authorities noted homelessness is a ‘difficult issue’ and anyone who sees rough sleepers is urged to report it, so people can get the help they need.

Cllr Gill Taylor, briefholder for housing, said that services are already co-ordinated and while they are ‘not perfect, a lot is being done’.

She added: “The EDP [drug and alcohol services] go out twice a week to check on all the rough sleepers. Lantern also works very closely with street sleepers and we also work with Pilston for people who want to get into homes. There’s also groups from the NHS and voluntary organisations.

“One of the biggest problems is that many do not want to engage with us. They should be fed and sheltered but to some extent, that’s supporting a lifestyle. I would rather see someone helped into a tenancy and being supported once they are there.”

A ‘single night snapshot’ was carried out in autumn last year and figures state at that time there were 11 rough sleepers in Weymouth and Portland. In 2012 the number was five.

The figures mirror an upward trend across the whole country in recent years, although the number of rough sleepers in North Dorset, Purbeck and West Dorset has remained around the same.

Cllr Francis Drake, briefholder for community safety, said moves are being made to stop rough sleepers leaving their belongings in shop doorways.

He said: “We are hoping to be able to influence that if belongings are left for longer than three hours we will be able to take it away and destroy it. I know that sounds a bit harsh, but we have got to do it.”

Cllr Christine James, briefholder for social inclusion, added that while this policy ‘seems a bit crass’, it is ‘perfectly sensible’ to remove unaccompanied belongings from shop doorways.

She added: “Where they have tents and they are out of the way we could take a more lenient approach. If they have tents and need to pitch them we could say, go out of harm’s way, out of the view of everyone.”

Speaking after the meeting Cllr Taylor said homelessness is a ‘huge issue’ that covers far more than rough sleepers.

She added: “We would advise anyone who is in housing need or homeless to contact the local Housing Advice Services on 01305 838400 or visit dorsetforyou.com for more information.

“We would also like to encourage residents to contact streetlink.org.uk if they see someone who is sleeping rough. Our officers work with Street Link to make connections between rough sleepers and local services.”

Angie Barnes, from the homeless support organisation Soul Food, said the figure of 'about three to four' rough sleepers dying each year in Weymouth is correct.

It is not necessarily the cold that causes problems, she added, but being unable to change out of damp clothes, which leads to colds and even conditions like pneumonia.

"In our experience where people have got wet, they are stuck in those clothes for a couple of days and they are soaking wet. It could be two or three days before the weather is dry enough for them to fully dry off."

The deaths are a mixture of those who are found on the streets, and those who seek help for illnesses and die later in hospital.

THE Dorset Echo spoke to homeless people on the streets of Weymouth who said they council 'want nothing to do with them'.

Ian Jess, who has lived on the streets for the past two years, said: "It is totally ridiculous, the council want nothing to do with us, they look at us as if we are scum. They don’t think Weymouth has a problem, but there are lots of people on the streets.

"I would like to see the council open up the church doors and put some beds in, let us spend the night. Let us in so we can wash ourselves and change. I suffer from gastric gangrene and can't sleep on the street floor. People don’t want to hear what’s going on and we’re hurting."

Another homeless man, who preferred to remain anonymous, has been sleeping on the streets for 17 years.

Yesterday morning the 44-year-old woke up with chronic Raynaud's syndrome after sleeping with his hands exposed to the elements.

He said: "The council don’t do anything to help. They class me as an ‘un-vulnerable male’. The homeless team is run under the council so they do whatever the council tell them, they should be an independent body. They don’t fight our corner.

"Everywhere else you go in the country they have night shelters, most of them are run by volunteers so the council don’t even fund it really.

"Three nights in the last 11 months the council have put on emergency accommodation, but on the fourth night they said it wasn’t could enough even though it was minus four that night. When I wake up with ice on my sleeping bag I think it’s below freezing."

Dorset Echo:

AN INNOVATIVE concept to convert a disused bus into a mobile shelter could be the lifeline needed for homeless people in the county.

Emily McCarron and her partner Eddie are calling for the community's support to help end the need for people in Dorset to sleep on the streets.

The bus would be based in Weymouth and provide up to 20 beds for rough sleepers to sleep safely.

Emma said: "We believe that if people have their basic needs of sleep, food, water, warmth and safety met they will be able to work positively on achieving their goals and improving their future.

"Rough sleepers will be supported with their life skills, benefits, health and housing by volunteers on the bus.

"The aim will be to work alongside other agencies to encourage guests on the bus to move into suitable accommodation and to change their cycle of homelessness in order to integrate back into society.

"The bus shelter concept is a growing network across the UK. It started in the Isle of Wight.

"At the moment is it myself, my husband and three trustees, but we are working on becoming a registered charity.

"My husband and I have both worked with homeless people and have more than 10 years’ experience between us. But we want to be able to do more and make a difference.

"The bus shelter in the Isle of Wight has done really really well and we've had really positive feedback from it. Eight people have already moved on to more stable accommodation and the shelter only opened on December 1."

The bus will be renovated to include sleeping pods for guests upstairs and downstairs there will an area for volunteers to sleep, a consultation area, kitchen, wood burner and seating area.

The bus will be powered by solar panels on the roof and there will be storage space under the bunks for rough sleepers to store their belongings. Each sleeping pod will have its own curtain for privacy and low voltage LED lighting and USB plug. The bunks will consist of a mattress, sheets, duvet , two pillows and additional blankets if needed.

Guests will also be offered the use of a PO BOX so that they are able to apply for work, register with GP and make benefit claims.

The cost of this project will be approximately £10,000 and the monthly running costs will be approximately £1,500.

And the first 250 people to donate £50 will have their name on the back of the bus to say ‘we helped make this happen'.

If you would like to donate, get involved or offer your skills email thebusshelterdorset@yahoo.com or visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/thebusshelter-dorset