NICOLA Sturgeon was heckled as she visited a homeless shelter to announce fresh action to tackle rough sleeping over winter.
The First Minister said an initial £328,000 would be pumped into increasing emergency accommodation in hard-hit areas, with personal budgets also made available to frontline workers to “meet immediate housing needs”.
But as she announced the funding at Edinburgh’s Streetwork homelessness charity, she was met with shouts of “publicity stunt”.
One homeless woman, who was ushered away by shelter staff, called out: “This is all publicity. The minute they go away this will all disappear and it will be back to we get nothing, again."
Another man told Ms Sturgeon the opening hours of facilities needed to be longer, while one said: “The situation is getting out of control.”
The Scottish Government announced plans to “eradicate rough sleeping and end homelessness” earlier this year, pledging £50 million over the next five years.
Ms Sturgeon said it was “absolutely understandable and legitimate” if some homeless people were sceptical of the Government’s commitment.
She added: “But the recommendations we are talking about today haven’t come from Government, they’ve not been dreamt up by us.
“We asked a group of experts to come together – not to look at something in the long term, but to look firstly at what can be done this winter.
“And that’s what we’re talking about today. And then, we’ll look in more detail at what we can do longer term.
“So there’s a determination and a seriousness of intent and additional investment behind this.
“But rather than stand here today and seek to persuade with words those in these predicaments who are understandably sceptical, I think what I want to do is prove it through the actions we’ve taken.”
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis UK and chair of the Government’s new homelessness action group, said: “The decision to accept our recommendations and the fact that the First Minister is leading on the Scottish Government’s commitment to accept our recommendations and provide additional funding is vitally important.
“Not only will this ensure plans are put into place as quickly as possible but it also inspires confidence that the leadership required to meet the long-term goal of ending homelessness in Scotland is in place.”
As well as increasing emergency accommodation in Edinburgh and boosting outreach capacity in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, the Scottish Government had pledged to maximise the use of "Nightstop".
This provides young people with emergency accommodation for up to two weeks in the homes of approved volunteers in Edinburgh, and will be rolled-out in Glasgow by early next year.
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