Devon homeless 'could go to Cornwall for work and shelter'

Devon councillor Ron Dolley said seasonal work such as picking daffodils could give homeless people "a hand up"

Homeless people in Devon could move to Cornwall to fill seasonal job vacancies that include accommodation, a councillor has suggested.

Mid Devon District Councillor Ron Dolley said some jobs such as flower and vegetable picking often come with "clean, dry accommodation".

Cornwall Council said its population had "its own issues" and it must "look after its people first and foremost".

A meeting between the two authorities may be arranged to compare strategies.

'Scarcity of labour'

Independent councillor Mr Dolley, the council's vice chairman, made the suggestion while chairing a meeting of his authority's Homes Policy Development Group last week.

He told BBC Radio Cornwall he made it because Cornwall had "a scarcity of labour, from what I understand".

He said: "Picking daffodils, cauliflowers, what have you; you're provided with provided with clean, dry accommodation with mod-cons, work a 40-hour week ... it would be giving them a hand up to get them out of the cold."

Cornwall Councillor in charge of housing Olly Monk said the homeless "often have complicated health and social needs... that need assessing and addressing before they're ready to go into full-time work".

But he added that he was "all too happy to have a meeting" with Mr Dolley and "show what we're doing at the moment".

He said: "Cornwall has got its own issues regarding homeless people, but we are working very hard to keep them nice and warm and dry as we possibly can."

He added: "Cornwall Council has a statutory requirement to look after its own people first and foremost.

"Anyone who comes down from other areas... will be pointed back in the direction of where they come from to get help from their local authority."