Homeless pods 'unfit for purpose'

The pods were described as "cold, wet, dark and isolated"

Flaws in Herefordshire's high-profile homeless "pods" became "painfully evident" when they were put to use last winter, according to a report.

The report for the Herefordshire Homelessness Forum concluded they were "unfit for our purpose" and "raise concerns about value for money".

Herefordshire Council said the pods would not be used as the primary homeless accommodation this winter.

Four garden shed-sized pods were commissioned for £46,560 last year following the deaths of three homeless people in the county.

But the chemical toilets in the pods were "too low and too small", leading to "problems of accuracy", said the report, while emptying them was awkward and expensive.

There was also no provision for handwashing.

Condensation was also a recurrent problem, soaking bedding and dripping on guests' faces.

It also got into the smoke alarms fitted in each pod, which "went off at various times" leading to some being disconnected.

The pods' internal heaters were ineffective, while roof-mounted solar panels "frequently did not provide [power for] lighting or phones".

Two of the pods were originally set up in Hereford bus station's car park

Overall, the pods, which were designed with women chiefly in mind, were described as "cold, wet, dark and isolated" – in contrast to Hereford's main homeless shelter, then occupied only by men.

However, the report concluded they were a "convenient, secure means of getting someone off the street as an emergency measure."

The council's cabinet member for adults, health and wellbeing, Carole Gandy, said the pods would this year be used only as a "last resort".

"The main accommodation is the winter shelter, which this year has been split into a male and female dormitory," she said.