A FORMER rough sleeper has blamed a gap in outreach services for drugs problems among Worcester's homeless, including recent reports of them injecting heroin in public.

Campaigner Hugo Sugg has written an open letter calling for resignations in Worcester City Council, responsible for tackling homelessness in the city.

His comments follow the publication of a photo in the Worcester News showing the effects of a man and woman injecting a drug, believed to be heroin, in public.

We also reported that a 29-year-old woman had been taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester suffering from a drugs overdose in Angel Street on Thursday, August 3 at around 3pm. The woman, who had a needle in her arm, was seen lying in the street which could be seen by diners, including children, in McDonald’s restaurant opposite.

We also published photographs of syringes and other drugs paraphernalia discarded with other rubbish in a doorway near Farrier Street.

However, the city council says it is Worcestershire County Council, working with Swanswell, who are responsible for addressing substance misuse in the city.

Mr Sugg, formerly of Worcester, was just 18 when he became homeless in Hereford following the breakdown of a relationship and has since campaigned for more to be done to help the homeless people and rough sleepers.

He said: “If services were adequate, there would be no need for people to be lying in a doorway in the city centre begging for money or drugs, or allegedly with a needle sticking out of a limb in the middle of the day during the summer holidays.”

Mr Sugg blames changes in the outreach service carried out by the Worcestershire Homelessness Intervention Team (WHIT) to a ‘non-defined’ and ‘light touch service’.

Mr Sugg, who stood as a candidate to become independent MP for South Hackney and Shoreditch at the last general election, recently organised a vigil for Cardon Banfield, a 74-year-old rough sleeper who was found dead in a tent near Worcestershire County Cricket Club last July.

A coroner recorded an open verdict at his inquest but Mr Sugg has argued that Mr Banfield’s body would have been found far sooner if there had been an effective outreach service.

Gareth Edwards, director of operations and deputy designated safeguarding officer, said: "Everyone at CCP (now Caring for Communities and People) is committed to ending homelessness.

"Through the hard work of the team with support from key partners there has been a reduction in the number of people sleeping rough in the county.

"This is in contrast to the national figure and has also been thanks to all of the members of the public that have used Streetlink to inform us of where we are needed.

"We are aware of the recent incidents of drug use on the streets and whilst we are not commissioned to provide specialist support around substance use, we have been working closely with Swanswell and have looked to jointly go to sites that have been identified.

"We undertake a four weekly early morning walk around the city centre with other agencies as a minimum.

"But in reality this is in addition to responding to intel or streetlink referrals, as we recognise that it is key we reach people before they move on. In the past weeks and in response to concerns we have had staff out in the city centre most days and (when found) CCP staff have also ensured that any drug paraphernalia has been reported and has been promptly been removed."