DEPUTY Council Leader Bernard Priest has today claimed that policing the city centre homelessness camps - which began five weeks ago in Albert Square - has cost the public nearly £90k.

If they offered me a hostel room now I wouldn't take it

“While it is entirely legitimate to raise concerns about homelessness," said Priest, "the conduct of some members of the camp has been entirely inappropriate in a public area used by children and families, and there have been issues with offensive graffiti and other forms of vandalism, fighting, public urination, street drinking, litter and loud music being played.

“The camp has now cost the council and GMP more than £88,000 in additional policing, security and legal costs since it set up on Albert Square more than a month ago. In the current climate, this is not an extra cost any public body can shoulder lightly."

Priest's comments came after police and bailiffs moved protesters from a camp outside Central Library at around 7.45am on Tuesday 19 May - only for 20-25 of the group to set up a new camp in St Ann's Square an hour later.

Anti-austerity demonstrators had previously attempted to storm Town Hall on Wednesday 15 April, causing damage to the building and briefly trapping officers and council workers inside.

On Wednesday 6 May it was reported in The Guardian that homeless people had been banned entirely from using the public library after setting up a camp outside, however, the council was quick to label the article 'blatantly untrue'.

Official figures state that the number of rough sleepers in Greater Manchester has risen by 50% over the last year.

"Over the last month, our homelessness service has provided support and advice to more than 20 members of the camp," Priest continued, "officers were present prior to and during the eviction to provide accommodation to anyone willing to accept it.

"They had previously made offers to members of the camp – including some on several occasions – and although half of these offers were turned down, we will continue to offer support to those who need it.” 

However, as to be expected, it's a very different story on St Ann's Square.

"I've been protesting from the very start," said Dominic, a 25-year-old homeless man and part of the new St Ann's Square camp, "and I've only seen them rehouse two people.

"The council housing team have been out but they've never once approached me," he continued.

Fellow protestor Ryan, 23, claimed that he had been offered a hostel room, but hadn't heard anything since.

"I was offered a room in a hostel I'd previously been kicked out of," he said. "They told me they would try to book me in but I haven't seen him since."

.Homeless protesters Ryan, 23 (left) and Dominic, 25 (right)

And what of the vandalism, the urination, the loud music?

"We've been using public facilities for that... places like McDonalds and the Town Hall," says Ryan. "And nobody has complained about the music - we've had requests and old people dancing with us."

"But we get a lot of drunk passersby coming to the camp and causing trouble," he continues. "It was a drunk that put in the library window last week - nothing to do with us."

"I had my whole tent ripped in half by some drunks coming back from a night out," Dominic tells me. "We've had a lot of abuse."

So what happens when the police and bailiffs turf them from St Ann's? Where next? When does it stop?

"I'm not allowed to tell you where we'll go next," said Ryan, "But if we're moved from here we're not going away until the problem is sorted."

"If they offered me a hostel room now I wouldn't take it," Dominic adds, "If I leave today that's not going to solve the problem - the rest will still be here and still be homeless."

Meanwhile an arts and crafts market - which was supposed to open on St Ann's Square this Thursday - has been postponed due to the arrival of the camp.