The war between conflicting factions in the national Labour Party has
spilled out into our local area. Liverpool Labour's two Mersey Mayor
wannabies have involved themselves in huge public attacks on one another.
Liverpool’s Mayor Joe Anderson has slammed Steve Rotheram, the man he lost
out to in the fight to be City Region mayoral candidate, and who,want to
rule over Southport as well as Liverpool, over comments on homelessness.
Mayor Anderson says that Mr Rotheram has showed “ignorance”on the matter.

Mr Rotheram pledged this week to create new homes for homeless people
saying that if elected he would work with housing associations to
ring-fence homes for use by those who would otherwise be homeless.

But in an open letter to local media, Joe Anderson said Mr Rotheram’s
comments were “frankly unhelpful”. He said Rotheram's plan was “overly
simple”, insisting that helping rough sleepers was a major priority for
Liverpool City Council and not a matter for the new Metro Mayor.

Mayor Anderson said he read Mr Rotheram’s “gesture politics” with
“bewilderment” saying the problem of rough sleeping went beyond simply
providing houses.

Mr Rotheram, present MP for Liverpool Walton, said he was “saddened and
disappointed” at Mayor Anderson’s comments.Mayor Anderson said: “The
ignorance of people making statements or criticisms without understanding
the facts is quite frankly unhelpful. Many rough sleepers have experienced
personal tragedy, many face real challenges in terms of their physical
health, their mental health or substance addiction. Solving the problem of
rough sleeping isn’t just about providing somewhere for people to sleep, or
as Steve Rotheram thinks, providing a house.

“He is wrong to think that he can solve a complex problem with an overly
simple solution. That’s why the most effective way to help rough sleepers
is to provide long-term solutions that address all of their accommodation,
health and support needs. We provide support, advice and assistance to
address the underlying reasons for rough sleeping. It goes far beyond just
providing an empty building or house.

“We need less gesture politics for homeless people, we need real action and
funding from Government, because, this is also a growing problem
nationally. A problem created by Government’s reduction in funding for
critical support services and the stringent cuts to the Welfare State which
have left so many people vulnerable.”

‘SADDENED AND DISAPPOINTED’Steve Rotheram hit back immediately, saying:

“I’m very saddened and disappointed at Mayor Anderson’s reaction to my
initiative on street sleeping, I was clear in my praise for the good work
being done by local councils and others across the Liverpool City Region to
try to help rough sleepers.

“But people can see for themselves that there is a pressing need to do much
more to tackle what is a national embarrassment in the fifth richest
economy in the world, and a problem that has got much worse with this Tory
Government’s cuts.

“The factors that drive street sleeping are complex and are not just about
providing homes but also wrap-around support. Homelessness is an issue for
us all and we can only solve it by working together.”

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson

Below is the text of Joe's Anderson's public letter:
"I read with bewilderment comments made by the metro mayor candidate Steve
Rotheram, “I will provide homes for City’s homeless”.

"The ignorance of people making statements or criticisms without
understanding the facts is quite frankly unhelpful.

"Let me also make it clear that the City Region Mayor has no powers over
housing in the Region and certainly not in Liverpool. In simple terms there
is no need for anyone in the City to go without a roof over their head. I,
as Mayor of Liverpool and the Council have a duty to provide accommodation
for anyone who is homeless and that’s what we do.

"We are also committed to tackling rough sleeping, which is why we spend
£10 million a year on tackling homelessness and are the number one city in
the country according to Public Health England.

"But the needs of genuine rough sleepers are complex. Many rough sleepers
have experienced personal tragedy, many face real challenges in terms of
their physical health, their mental health or substance addiction. Solving
the problem of rough sleeping isn’t just about providing somewhere for
people to sleep, or as Steve Rotheram thinks providing a house".

The Liverpool City Region, just seems to be a way of getting more funding for Liverpool projects. What does the LCR have in it's plans for spend in Southport Mr Mayor and rival?