Camden Council Must Do Better for Rough Sleepers

Labour-led Camden Council’s failure to properly support rough sleepers has once again been laid bare.

In a powerful letter published in last week’s Camden New Journal, Belsize ward councillor Judy Dixey highlighted the struggles faced by dedicated volunteer groups like Streets Kitchen, who provide vital support for rough sleepers where the council falls short.

Despite Severe Weather Emergency Protocols (SWEP) being triggered, many rough sleepers remained without enough help. Volunteers shared how the borough’s system is failing, with outreach efforts hampered by bureaucracy, inconsistent police cooperation, and a lack of council capacity.

Labour-led Camden Council claims its measures are sufficient, yet the experiences on the ground tell a very different story. When trust is built up with people living on the streets, outcomes improve, but this trust is being undermined by poor council responses.

Camden Liberal Democrats have repeatedly called for a significant increase in funding for homelessness outreach, including proposing a major uplift in staffing in our recent budget amendment. Sadly, Labour councillors voted this down.

We will continue to campaign for a borough where no one is left sleeping rough without support and where compassion, not complacency, guides council action.

You can read Judy's full letter to the Camden New Journal here.