Camden Council has apologised and said it will no longer attend evictions with the police after belongings used by rough sleepers, including a tent, were discarded in central London.
Eight people near University College London Hospital (UCLH) were forcibly removed and footage recorded by Streets Kitchen, which supports those sleeping on the streets, showed a tent being thrown into the back of a bin lorry.
The tents were cleared from the area on November 10 after the Metropolitan Police issued a S35 dispersal order, which requires people to vacate an area for a maximum of 48 hours.
The force said it worked with UCLH and other partners in response to concerns for patient welfare near the entrance on Huntley Street.
Police received reports of “drug dealing, urination and staff being intimated or verbally abused by some of those begging and sleeping rough”.
A detailed council report into the incident has revealed staff from Camden Council and staff from waste and recycling contractor Viola were involved in the incident.
🚨DISGUSTING @CamdenCouncil DESTROYS THE TENTS OF THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. pic.twitter.com/Mtx5cB2jir
— Streets Kitchen (@streetskitchen) November 10, 2023
The report said: “Junior council staff were aware of and involved in discussions about using enforcement powers to move people on from the UCLH land, providing support to the Met Police in their enforcement activity and organising a waste and recycling team”.
Personal items including a tent had been disposed of by Veolia staff - who were wearing high-visibility vests with Camden Council logos, the report shows.
The homeless group were given three hours' notice on November 10 to leave the site by the police, after UCLH security teams first raised concerns about the issue in February.
One person was arrested during the dispersal order and their items were taken into custody with them, the report said.
Speaking about the incident at Camden’s Housing Scrutiny Committee on Monday, acting leader Pat Callaghan said the council was “open to feedback and learning from our mistakes”.
The councillor said: “I have been very clear as acting leader that what happened on November 10 in Huntley Street was totally unacceptable and the report acknowledges this and we are sincerely sorry for the distress and impact caused to those who were affected.”
She added: “This is not the way we want to do things in Camden and I know those of you who know us know this is not the way we usually do things in Camden and I want to be clear now that our approach will change.”
The report continued: “The Council has apologised to those immediately affected by the removal of tents from the UCLH site – and we have made clear that disposing of people’s belongings who are experiencing rough sleeping as part of enforcement or move-on activity, is unacceptable and against our values.
It added: “With immediate effect, the council will not attend evictions with the police and other third parties other than to ensure humanitarian services are provided to those sleeping on the streets.”
A UCLH spokesman previously said the action was taken due to “public health concerns” outside Grafton Way Building, which houses units treating immunocompromised patients.
They added: “UCLH is deeply committed to improving the health and wellbeing of homeless people and we provide a number of services for this vulnerable group.”
Camden Council has said it will now store any belongings it takes possession of for a period of time to allow people to still access them.
All staff involved in the rough sleeping service will also receive trauma-informed training.
