AT our monthly meeting on Tuesday, members of Bolton against the Bedroom Tax discussed the special report on rough sleepers, featured in The Bolton News on the same day.

In the report, Dave Bagley, of Urban Outreach, stated that there were 22 people rough sleeping, whilst also saying that four years ago, there were only there rough sleepers in Bolton.

Not wanting to get bogged down in figures, Bolton Against the Bedroom Tax would like to remind Urban Outreach that only last October when we arranged a meeting with Nick Peel, Cabinet member for Environment, Homeless Aid UK, and Urban Outreach, at which The Bolton News was present, this was at the outdoor feeding kitchen on Le Mans Crescent, the Council, and Urban Outreach, were claiming at the time eight recorded rough sleepers on the streets of Bolton.

This was disputed by us, and Homeless aid UK, both saying it was nearer to 40.

Then, early this year, Bolton Council declared that the figure was seven.

Now, according to Urban outreach that figure has risen to 22, Bolton Against the Bedroom Tax welcomes the fact the real extent of the problem has been recognised, but we would still maintain the truer figure is nearer to 40.

We have heard a lot of talk from central government, Andy Burham, and Bolton Council about tackling rough sleeping, but talk is mainly all we have had.

Now is the time for action.

With the correct political will, rough sleeping can be ended now.

There are more than enough empty houses in the borough.

If these were brought into use, it would eradicate the tragedy of people finishing up sleeping on our streets.

Alan Johnson

On behalf of Bolton Against the Bedroom Tax