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Council looks to discourage beggars with outdoor furniture

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 14 Jun 2017, 8:23AM
Beggars in Palmerston North are causing a headache, and the Council is looking for ways to discourage them. Photo / NZME.

Council looks to discourage beggars with outdoor furniture

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 14 Jun 2017, 8:23AM

Palmerston North's council is looking at crowding beggars off the streets with furniture and buskers.

A trial discussed at the council's community development committee will put outdoor furniture on the footpath in front of one restaurant in the CBD, with the intention of taking up space where beggars are.

Rachel Bowen, deputy chair of the council's community development committee, said a range of options are being considered, including extra street furniture and artworks to deter begging.

Bowen said it came up while discussing how to better use the streets.

"It is fair to say that there's been some behaviour that we've not particularly enjoyed, so that's what we're looking at," she told Mike Hosking.

LISTEN ABOVE AS RACHAEL BOWEN SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

"We were talking about whether this place-making work that we're already doing might have some extra benefits in reducing the space that's available for beggars to sit outside people's businesses, because that's one of the biggest criticisms that we get."

The Salvation Army said the plan doesn't address the issues behind the begging and risks just making it a problem for someone else.

But Ms Bowen said they've already tried and failed to do outreach for a core group of beggars who refuse to accept support.

"I think we can say now, hand on heart, is we've looked to make sure those people are getting the help and support they need. We're not trying to move on people without also making sure they have somewhere to go."

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