OXFORD City Council has activated its emergency beds for rough sleepers yesterday due to freezing temperatures.

Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) bed spaces normally open on the first night of a Met Office forecast that the overnight temperature will drop to zero or below for three or more consecutive nights.

It means that extra spaces will be available for any rough sleeper in the city until Friday morning.

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Rough sleepers who want to access a SWEP bed space need to present themselves at Homeless Oxfordshire’s O’Hanlon House between 9pm and 9.30 pm.

A decision on whether to extend the extra places will be made on Friday.

The Met Office weather forecast is for the overnight temperature to be below zero tonight and tomorrow night, and above zero for Thursday night.

Although the usual conditions for SWEP activation have not been met, the council said it had exercised its discretion because of the extremely low 'feels like' temperature forecast for Thursday night.

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The council activates SWEP in consultation with its local partners including Homeless Oxfordshire, A2Dominion, Aspire and St Mungo’s, which runs the Oxford Street Population Outreach Team (OxSPOT).

OxSPOT and homeless day services are notifying potential rough sleepers that SWEP beds are now available.

Free kennelling is also available for rough sleepers with dogs, although kennels must be arranged in advance.

Rough sleepers who want to access a SWEP bed space need to present themselves at Homeless Oxfordshire’s O’Hanlon House between 9pm and 9.30 pm.

SWEP co-ordinators will allocate them an emergency bed in one of three main venues in the city.

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O’Hanlon House and Simon House provide a secure environment for known rough sleepers with chaotic behaviours and those presenting for the first time whose needs are unknown.

Known rough sleepers who present a lower risk to themselves or to others are usually given a bed outside the city centre.

Councillor Linda Smith, deputy leader of the authority, said: “Activating SWEP means that staff and volunteers in Oxford’s homelessness services step up from their regular duties to deal with emergency conditions, and I’d like to thank everyone involved for their efforts.

“If you are concerned about a rough sleeper, you can contact OxSPOT on 01865 243229 to make a referral, or report them on the national StreetLink website or app. OxSPOT is not an emergency service, but it will follow up all calls as quickly as possible. If you think there is immediate danger to the health of a rough sleeper, please call 999 instead.”