CONCERNS have been raised over rough sleepers in the Deeside area.

At their monthly meeting, Shotton town councillors received an update from a statement by the homeless officers, saying they were aware of people sleeping rough but due to the main emergency bed provision being in Flint at the time, the majority of people chose not to access the facility, choosing instead to remain in Deeside.

Cllr Angela Phillips said: “It was my understanding that a facility was going to be opening up in this area.”

Inspector Gareth Cust, of the North Flintshire policing team, said from his understanding, the only provision in planning, was to be in Holywell.

Members also heard how there is a ‘serious shortage’ of housing and it is ‘extremely difficult’ to secure private landlords who will accept referrals from the homeless team.

Cllr Sean Bibby added: “I think one big issue that has really affected this, is since the implantation of universal credit where payments were made directly to landlords, now they’ve been made directly to tenants this has meant this has acted as quite a big deterrent to landlords taking on people they know who let’s face it are quite challenging. I think we are doing everything we can to try and engage with these people to get them into the system so they can get the help they need.

“Currently on a Friday there’s a homeless hub where officers from Flintshire go to the Salvation Army in Connah’s Quay, there’s provision there for hot meals and a change of clothes.”