HOMELESSNESS in Blackburn with Darwen is worse than ever before, council bosses warned.

Speaking at a council scrutiny meeting, the borough’s community safety manager Mark Aspin said there were as many as 13 people sleeping rough on the borough’s streets - more than there has ever been.

At the moment, Mr Aspin said, there is a group of between 45 and 50 people with complex needs that the council is trying to support.

But he added the Government framework the council has to work within was not up to the task.

“These 13 people are people who have gone through accommodation and have not been able to sustain a tenancy.

“We are legally bound to provide an offer up until the point at which they make themselves homeless.

“At the moment we have our winter emergency provision and anyone sleeping outside can go to the Salvation Army.

“These people have really complex needs and we have to try to convince them to want to help themselves - it is hard work.

“We have an outreach service that goes and speaks to people and we try to encourage them to re-enter the housing market.

“Quite a few are frightened or wary of this type of accommodation because they are vulnerable to other residents - they have things stolen or are threatened with violence.

“The Crown Prosecution Service is really reluctant to take any of these cases forward.”

Head of safeguarding, community protection and specialist services Paul Lee added word of mouth among the homeless meant more were migrating to the borough because of services and accommodation available that is not possible elsewhere.

Mr Aspin added: “I think the challenge for us lies where we have got people moving into the borough and when we look to send they back where they came from, we are met with resistance.

“In our view, everyone should be pulling their weight.”

Housing needs manager Stephen Richards said: “We believe neighbouring authorities should be making greater efforts themselves but we have a lot of temporary accommodation compared to other areas around us.

Chairman of the committee, Cllr Naushad Surve, said the borough had a greater burden to deal with than other local authorities.

He added: “It is having a huge impact on the town centre and we want to look at it from all angles - the best thing for the people affected but also from a strategic point of view as well."

Cllr Julie Gunn added: “As an authority we need to try and protect these vulnerable people because at the bottom of it all is a real person with real needs.”

Following the death of homeless man, Andrew Davie last month, Blackburn charity Hornby House set up a drop-in centre for those living on the streets.

The centre on King Street will be opening its doors to anyone without permanent shelter, in order to provide them with warm clothing, and sleeping bags.