Walsall beggars ‘scaring the elderly', says council leader
Beggars have been branded an 'intimidating' nuisance by the leader of Walsall Council, who has urged shoppers not to give money to them.
Mike Bird insisted many rough sleepers around the town were not actually homeless but were just trying to get money out of people and said action needed to be taken to get people off the streets.
He has instead urged shoppers to give money directly to homeless people rather than beggars.
The leader said he had received many reports of shoppers being 'harassed' by people asking for money and has called for the police to move them on from the town centre.
Councillor Bird said: "They are not homeless. We know where they all live, they have all been spoken to. They are intimidating people for money and are also harassing people in shops up and down the high street.
"People don't want to be confronted by people asking for loose change. The elderly do feel intimidated. I have spoken to the police and we do have a public spaces protection order (PSPO), the police have the power to move these people on.
"I would encourage the people of Walsall to do alternative giving - don't give to beggars on the street, give to organisations which genuinely help the homeless. Many of the people on the street are not homeless."
The council leader said he would like to see beggars moved on as part of wider plans to clean-up and improve the look of Walsall town centre.
He said: "We need to make the town centre more attractive and cleaner. That includes getting the beggars of the streets."
