Drugs and addiction 'killing' Middlesbrough, mayor warns

Susan Gill said the people who have died were badly affected by the loss of the service

Drugs and addiction are "killing" Middlesbrough, the town's mayor has told councillors debating the loss of a support service for homeless people.

Middlesbrough Council's Breaking the Boundaries Team provided practical help for rough sleepers, but its three staff moved to different roles in April.

Susan Gill, of the town's Homeless Cafe, told BBC Tees a woman's suicide this week means seven people have died.

The authority disputes the deaths are a direct result of the shake-up.

An Extraordinary Council meeting was held on Wednesday after concerns were raised by Ms Gill and independent councillor Jon Rathmell.

'Ruining the town'

Independent Mayor Andy Preston told the meeting drugs were the "biggest problem Middlesbrough faces".

"Drugs and addiction are the biggest single thing that's a threat to health, it's a threat to crime and safety, it's a threat to jobs, it's a threat to kids, it's a threat to adults, it's a threat to streets, it is ruining the town - it is killing the town.

"Money is really tight. Every single person in this room regardless of political persuasion knows that money has never, ever been tighter," he said.

"Now, we are compassionate, we want to help, but we need to do it intelligently and we need to balance budgets and we need to make it work."

'Holistic approach'

Independent councillor Ashley Waters, executive member for regeneration, told the chamber the project had been funded by central government on a three-year pilot but the funding was pulled after a year.

He added the staff members had been moved into a Neighbourhood Safety team, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Deputy Mayor Antony High, also an Independent, said a review looking at areas such as homelessness, substance abuse and domestic violence was being carried out to provide a "holistic approach".

A report examining the effects of the redeployment of the Breaking the Boundaries team will be presented to the full council at a later date.