CONSERVATIVE councillors joined a Shelter Scotland stall in Hamilton to support the charity’s campaign against homelessness.
More than 2,000 homeless applications were made in South Lanarkshire last year, with 651 households - including 522 children - living in temporary accommodation.
In the three months before making an application, 120 households had resorted to sleeping rough.
Bothwell and Uddingston’s Cllr Kenny McCreary and Hamilton North and East’s Cllr Martin Hose represented the Tory Group at the awareness-raising event in the town centre last Monday (27 November).
Shelter Scotland’s Homelessness: Far From Fixed campaign was launched in 2016. It calls for urgent action from the Scottish Government to ensure a safe and affordable home is available for everyone, and to provide help for people struggling to keep or find a home.
The campaign also demands a strong housing safety net to catch those who are made homeless and ensure no-one has to sleep rough.
Councillor McCreary said: “It is incredibly disappointing that we still have people sleeping rough and so many others living without a place to call home.
“There may be no quick fixes but the SNP government simply must do more to fix the housing crisis, because there is a real danger the number of people struck by homelessness will soar in the years ahead.
“With people forced to endure sleeping in the cold, this is an issue that demands ministers do far more than offer warm words.
“Charities such as Shelter work hard to provide urgent help to people in need. It was helpful to hear their perspective and it’s right we all give them our full support.”
Cllr Hose added: “Homelessness has devastating effects on those directly affected, but people may not be aware how it impacts the wider community.
“Shelter indicated there is a high instance of people being released from prison and immediately re-offending just to get a roof over their heads.
“That raises the risk of crime and reduces the chance someone who has previously been in trouble will be able to turn their life around.”