STANDING UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ON OXFORD’S STREETS !

Good luck. 

Oxford council's approach is out of step with how councils and police are handling begging elsewhere. In Birmingham (and to a lesser extent, Coventry and Stratford, and probably other places), the police are working closer with homeless agencies and enforcing the law only as a last resort. This approach is helping some individuals in that it's allowing support to be put in place without being interrupted or hampered by prison stays, fines etc, even though it's come about partly because of streamlining of services necessitated by funding cuts. There are no ambitions to end rough sleeping, though, just an acceptance that it's a part of society.The main piece of legislation used against beggars is the Vagrancy Act, which was first enacted in 1824! Despite the more softly-softly approach in the Midlands, prosecuations under this act are on the increase, especially in London, in line with the increase in rough sleeping. I expect Oxford council's decision to persecute beggars is because of fear that visible homelessness will make the city 'look bad', affecting the tourist trade.