Bedford council considers 'sleeping pods' for rough sleepers

The "sleeping pods" were originally designed to give shelter and safety to construction workers

Emergency shelters may be provided to give shelter for rough sleepers.

Bedford Borough Council is investigating the use of "sleeping pods" to provide shelter to those sleeping rough, a meeting heard.

The pods contain a single bed, a hand basin and chemical toilet. A solar panel can charge a mobile phone and provide heating in the winter.

The council is considering a site for the pods and said one option is to locate them in car parks.

Lee Phanco, chief officer for assessment, application and business support, said: "They don't need to be connected to services, but you do need a suitable surface".

The pods contain a single bed and a simmilarly size floor space

The authority's Budget and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed the pods on Thursday.

Mr Phanco explained the council must also consider health and safety issues for the people that would be using the pods.

"So we may want to put them where there is some CCTV coverage," he said.

The pods themselves have electrical power provided by a solar-charged battery, which is suitable for a mobile phone and providing heating in the winter.

The council said the pods would not be considered temporary accommodation, but instead emergency overnight shelter for those who need it, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Duke is not optimistic the emergency shelters will work as intended

Duke, a rough sleeper in Bedford, said the shelters "wouldn't work".

He said in the past the council had set up tents to be used as emergency shelters which have been set on fire.

In the meeting, the council also suggested the pods could also be kept inside a large building, such as a warehouse.

"It could work if it's inside and away from people getting drunk on the street," Duke said.

Joanne Hassan wants the council to share their research into the benefits of the "sleeping pods"

The Saturday Outreach Service is a not-for-profit organisation supporting homeless people in the town.

Joanne Hassan, from the service, said she would want to know "what sort of research they have into where they're going to put them and how they're going to work".

She also questioned the advantage of the shelters over hotels where security services are included.

Bedford Borough Conservative councillor, Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant, said using hotels for rough sleepers was "not financially sustainable".

The portfolio holder for housing and community safety said it had been suggested the pods would be bookable, with a security and cleaning service also provided.

"Homelessness and rough sleeping is not a new problem but we have to find new ways of dealing with it, so I am excited we are exploring new options," she said.