A scheme that screams of risk

Last updated 12:42, Thursday, 17 July 2008

Politicians may be an easy target but at times they practically load the gun and hand it to an embittered electorate.

Carlisle City Council has voted to build a hostel for homeless women and children next door to a hostel for homeless men, despite deep concerns about safety.

Unsurprisingly councillors had a tough time of it when they offered public explanation last night – maybe because the plan is beyond justification.

Housing vulnerable women and children next to similarly vulnerable homeless men – some of them domestic and sex offenders – screams of risk, however many fingers are crossed in wishful thinking

The council argues that if the hostel isn’t approved a government grant of £1.8m will be lost.

That seems only to add insult to injury. The women’s hostel’s purpose should be first to provide, peace of mind, safety and opportunity to build for the future. Chance of a cash windfall is surely secondary.

It will be hard for many to argue with the protests of objectors who insist the plan is “crackers” and “bereft of common sense” to place homeless women and their children close to rootless men, with promises that when the families arrive, paedophiles and sex offenders will be moved elsewhere and tensions caused by the men’s street-drinking will be “diffused.”

And that’s a plan?