Fury as Labour council spends £36k in single day to clear encampment from UK seaside city

Locals are furious after their Labour council spent almost £40,000 to clear a tent encampment from their city. Brightonand Hove City Council said the encampment on Madeira Terrace was "not safe for people to be on".

Green Councillor Chloe Goldsmith, shadow member for communities and equalities, asked why the council would "waste" £36,564,60. She said the incident "raises serious questions about how Labour are spending our council's money and where their priorities lie".

The councillor added: "It turns out there's enough cash to waste nearly £40k in a single day, just to throw away a tent and move on one rough sleeper, who reportedly left voluntarily, yet they claim they have no choice but to close libraries in some of our communities that need them most."

According to the Argus, the High Court granted the city council permission to take possession of the land on August 1. The clearing took place on August 6. Specialist Group International, a Bristol-based provider of specialist rescue, underwater search and protester management, cleared the tents, which had been there "for months."

Also present were 20 enforcement officers from Able Investigations & Enforcement, a Bristol-based specialist enforcement and investigation service. The officers were seen pulling items out of tents, such as pillows and duvets, and throwing them on the ground.

All but one person living in the encampment left overnight after being informed of the coming clearing. He told officers he had "nowhere to go" and was sent to the council.

Cllr Bella Sankey, leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said: "It's genuinely shocking that the Green Party seem to care so little about the safety of homeless people in the city, and indeed the safety of council officers. Madeira Terrace is structurally unsafe, and any trespass or encampment in that area puts the lives of those on the terrace at risk due to the risk of collapse.

"We always take a welfare-first approach to encampments and try to support people to safety, and the council engaged early with those on this specific site. In this instance, the danger to life was so severe, officers were right to ensure that these people were moved to protect their lives.

"It is also worth noting the unprecedented amounts we are investing in social housebuilding and homelessness prevention to help get us out of the housing crisis that we face.

"Because of the escalating risks, we obtained a court order for possession of the site and the work was carried out safely on 6 August, ultimately with people moving voluntarily. Due to the nature of the site, the work required specialist contractors who were able to use high ropes to access the site from above.

"The site was cleared, including removal of hazardous waste and drug-related items. The costs include security to prevent further encampments, as well as the costs of possessing and securing the site."

"The Greens seem to be suggesting that the encampment should have been left on the unsafe structure indefinitely (risking people's lives), or that council officers themselves should have attempted the enforcement action. This poses serious questions about their competence - and shows an alarming lack of concern about the safety of homeless people in the city."