THE number of people sleeping rough in Colchester fell once again according to official government figures.

The “snapshot” statistics look at the number of rough sleepers counted on a single night in the autumn of 2019.

They record ten people sleeping on the streets of Colchester, down from 13 in the same count in 2018 and 20 in 2017.

Marina Woodrow, manager at Colchester Night Shelter, questioned whether the figures were a accurate reflection of the problem.

The shelter’s latest published figures, looking at rough sleeping in the borough from March 2018 until March 2019, recorded it admitted 172 people and offered 5,803 bed nights to clients.

“The rough sleepers count is not a true reflection of what is going on, it is a count of one particular night when perhaps people who would usually be sleeping rough secure a sofa for the night or bed down,” she said.

“We used to run at around 95 per cent capacity and there has been a definite drop over the past three years to the point we are typically at between 80 to 85 per cent capacity.

“We find there is a bit of a lull in the summer months when some people are happier to sleep rough, the social element of rough sleeping is also bigger in the summer months.

“Over this winter we have still been running at a lower capacity than we have previously.

“It is difficult to see how the figures are reflected in Colchester. There are people who are known to us who don’t want to come to the service, who don’t want to engage or follow the rules of the shelter.”

Ms Woodrow added the shelter cannot meet the needs of people with complex mental health issues and some referrals can “need more support than we can provide.”

“If we accepted all the referrals we receive then, yes, we probably would be at full capacity,” she said.

“We have to be responsible with who we take in to make sure we are not putting too much pressure on other agencies and to protect our other clients.

“What is frustrating is that we take an awful lot of referrals from other areas, and often other areas which do have night shelters.

“That doesn’t sit well with me.”

A Colchester Council spokesman said: “The Colchester rough sleeper count, which took place in November 2019, was conducted in line with national guidance to provide a snapshot assessment of those sleeping rough in the area and was validated by a Homeless Link verifier.

“Before any data is gathered, research and information is provided by relevant agencies to support the activity on the night of the count.”

He added: "A mix of volunteers from Colchester Council, Colchester Borough Homes and partner agencies working in the field of housing or support carried out the count and, where possible, information was provided regarding the services available to support those sleeping rough to address their needs within the borough.

“In May 2018, the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government identified Colchester as an area eligible to receive additional funding to tackle rough sleeping.

"This funding enabled us to employ outreach workers, increase bed spaces at Colchester Night Shelter, pilot a Housing First approach and boost provision of the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.

"The work of the rough sleeper co-ordinator provided valuable insight into the gaps in provision for rough sleepers in Colchester.

“We are reassured that the number of rough sleepers in Colchester is not increasing.

"The work of Colchester Council, Colchester Borough Homes and local partnerships continues to achieve some positive outcomes for those with often complex problems.

"We are not complacent and know that we need to continue to work with those who are at risk of rough sleeping, to ensure they are supported to move into secure accommodation."