This is important because these are vulnerable people who often don't have a voice. Clearly the city council just want to get rid of them from the city. Everyone surely has a right to bedding! Rather than criminalisation, the council should do more to help.

We are currently seeing an ever growing number of homeless sleeping on the streets of ALL of our local towns just before the weather makes a turn. We cannot hide from the fact we are in the middle of a national social housing crisis. Pressure is needed to do up derelict homes and building and fill them not to mention our social housing stock increased. Those that are eligible for social housing have to 'bid' for their new property and each will be issued a priority rating. This can be different in different councils, so some may be on a point system of like our council, Thanet - a banding between 'A' being highest priority, and 'D' lowest. What has caught my attention more than anything is how the priority for homelessness in many districts has gone from an A to an automatic 'C' for instance here in Thanet, leaving people on the streets or in bed and breakfast costing 4 - 5 times as much per week to the tax-payer as the rent for a bedsit or 1 bedroom flat. We deal with those that are homeless and those facing homelessness day in day out with more rough sleepers than ever in our towns, cities and seaside areas. We see young and old, able and disabled, those from many backgrounds or situations. We see families torn apart, we see children infested with bed bug markings from poor quality but expensive B & B temporary accommodation. People will be placed for months, often years, on that Band C waiting to be housed. This involves paying rent for that room at 4 - 5 times as much as the average rent for a property. The cheapest rate being £35 per night at a B&B facility works out at £1050 pcm Local Authority allowances would pay a maximum of £350 pcm rent for this person when in premises. A huge difference of over £600 pcm being spent awaiting a tenancy. We are asking our Prime minister and council leaders to consider this alternative option At around £20,000 per container that comfortably sleeps 10, this will not only provide temporary shelter while the country plays catch up on previous failures of keeping up with housing needs for a growing and ageing population. These will allow people facing homelessness to be able to register themselves with doctors, be able to set up and access a bank account, and claim the benefits they need to get them on their feet in many cases. These have already proven a huge success in Brighton. It will keep people rough sleeping facing enforcement notices for rough sleeping on council. It will improve the health, prospects and chances of people facing rough sleeping and give voluntary organisations like the one I volunteer with, a better chance of more effectively working with clients to support them in successful tenancies in the future. It will also save a great deal of public money as will be spent more effectively. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-28035388

This once again will hit the poorer families and the sick and disabled! Why do this section of the public have to suffer to repay the monies stolen/lost by the bankers? Yet MP's find its ok to give themselves an 11% pay rise. Their 'Rich' friends lost the countries money they should be made to repay it by increasing their taxes! Let those who can afford pay! This section of society are already struggling, many have committed suicide as they can no longer cope with the stress of all the cuts and reductions in their income. Its discrimination by the Government to Cut only benefits that the poorer people are entitled to claim!

Bristol is in the middle of a housing crisis affecting thousands across the city and made worse by the unaffordable rents and insecurity of renting privately. Shortage of Council Housing and Housing Association properties leaves the Private Rental Sector at breaking point. Lack of supply drives down standards as we tenants are forced into paying eye-watering rents for damp and mould-ridden houses with only a couple of months security. In these circumstances, privately-owned empty buildings are a dangerous and unacceptable limit on the pool of available housing. Where properties have stood empty for 2 years or more the Council can turn them into much-needed homes. Empty Dwelling Management Orders provide Local Authorities with powers of ‘Compulsory Leasing’. They can take possession, renovate and rent properties to recover costs. After that the building is returned to the owner with a paying tenant. These powers are currently a last resort. It should be made clear that the use of EDMOs will be taken up if all other reasonable efforts come to nothing. Please click the following link to sign up to our direct mailing list and stay updated on all our campaigns. http://www.acorncommunities.org.uk/

To plead to the Council to open its empty buildings to the homeless in winter. I cannot imagine sleeping rough in driving, biting winds, snow, ice and winter rain. It's inhumane. It's also inexcusable when we have so many empty buildings.

The importance of this is to reduce welfare spending without penalising already struggling families, private landlords will not be living in poverty and yet the government continues to fuel there income from the pockets of the tax payer

The government have said an affordable home is up to £250k outside London and £450k inside but even with a reduction of 20% it it still 5 or 6 times an average family annual income. It's important so that first time buyers can get on the ladder.

To plead to the Council to open its empty buildings to the homeless in winter. I cannot imagine sleeping rough in driving, biting winds, snow, ice and winter rain. It's inhumane. It's also inexcusable when we have so many empty buildings.

To plead to the Council to open its empty buildings to the homeless in winter. I cannot imagine sleeping rough in driving, biting winds, snow, ice and winter rain. It's inhumane. It's also inexcusable when we have so many empty buildings.

I have felt compelled to start this petition since meeting a homeless lad in our local train station one night, there is a piano set up at the station, I've no idea why, probably for us to entertain ourselves while we wait for yet another delayed or missing train, anyhow, this young homeless lad, his bedding wrapped around his shoulders sat at the piano and played like a professional pianist, he moved me to tears...sadly it was reported recently that the lad had passed away on the street where he had gone to sleep. Homelessness can happen to anyone at any given time, it can come from a variety of situations, young people leaving home because of abuse/familial breakdown, being thrown out, relationships breaking down, bereavement, domestic violence, job loss, rent arrears or a lot of the time just because of bad/greedy landlords. According to statistics from the Department for Communities and Local Governments Rough Sleeping in England has risen by 55% between 2010-14 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/407030/Rough_Sleeping_Statistics_England_-_Autumn_2014.pdf I'm sure you will agree with me that this is unacceptable and will see the urgency to act immediately to remedy this shameful situation otherwise how many more lives will be lost as the winter months fast approach? Please join me in telling David Cameron and the Conservative Government that instead of passing laws to criminalise homelessness they should be treating this social ill as the moral crisis it is, open up empty buildings this winter to accommodate homeless people.

To plead to the Council to open its empty buildings to the homeless in winter. I cannot imagine sleeping rough in driving, biting winds, snow, ice and winter rain. It's inhumane. It's also inexcusable when we have so many empty buildings.

The amount of homeless people on Newcastle's streets has risen visibly and dramatically, particularly in the last year. When temperatures in the city inevitably reach freezing this winter, I want to be able to offer them a shelter in unused and empty buildings. Please do your bit now and sign this petition.