Is Milton Keynes Council breaking its '˜no tent evictions' pledge?

An official warning letter was left on the tent of a rough sleeper in Bradwell Common three days before Christmas.

Although it is on Parks Trust-headed paper, the letter is signed by the council’s enforcement coordinator Shaun Greig, and gives his direct telephone number.

Yet last summer councillors voted through a policy never to evict rough sleepers from their tents or confiscate their meagre possessions.

All agreed such practices “should have no place in a council that states its intention is to provide hope and a future to homeless people.”

MK’s People’s Assembly members claim the letter is a clear breach of this policy and say they are “absolutely disgusted” with MK Council.

They say the victim, a 40-year-old man with mental health issues, was visited by officials two days before the letter came.

“He engaged with them and informed them he had nowhere else to go,” said spokesman Ricky Oates.

“He fears his health will get even worse now.”

But council leader Pete Marland said: “MK Council does not evict homeless people from tents. Our staff will speak to people on Parks Trust land first to offer help and advice. We would not take part in any formal eviction process whatsoever.”

The Parks Trust also denied evicting people, though said it does not allow rough sleeping as it makes land “unsafe and insanitary”.

A spokeperson Parks Trust, said: “Where we find rough sleepers we endeavour to make them aware of where they might be able to find help and support and we notify Milton Keynes Council whose officers undertake an assessment.”