- Susie Colley, head of the chamber of commerce in Torquay, has come under fire
- Claimed there has been a ‘10% increase’ in homelessness since a charity opened
- Homeless charity founder Ellie Waugh said her comments were ‘social cleansing’
A business leader has been accused of social cleansing after saying a homeless charity should move before the local town is ‘doomed’.
Susie Colley, the head of the Chamber of Commerce in Torquay, Devon, claimed that the work of local charity Humanity Torbay was increasing problems by leading to a rise in rough sleepers.
Writing to organisations across Torbay, Ms Colley claimed that takings were down in local shops, and that one had to close twice because rough sleepers were ‘intimidating shoppers and the staff’.
Ms Colley also suggested that the police presence in the area should be increased or it ‘will be the end of Torquay’.
Susie Colley, the head of the Chamber of Commerce in Torquay, Devon, claimed that the work of local charity Humanity Torbay was leading to an increase in homelessness (stock photo)
In an email sent to local business leaders she claimed there had been a ‘10% increase’ in homelessness and suggested that the charity founder be asked to relocate
In the email in which she said there had been a ‘10% increase’ in homelessness since the founder of Humanity Torbay Ellie Waugh arrived, she suggested:
- Ellie Waugh is asked to relocate out of Torquay
- Police presence be increased again in The Strand to dissuade those who find the shop fronts amenable for their bedrooms and bathrooms
- The council publicise what is happening with the development on the harbour and Old Torwood street otherwise all prospective investors will walk away
- Free parking in all the car parks on Sunday
- The council/police publish those who have been banned from the town centre
Ms Waugh has hit back at the claims, saying that it was like social cleansing.
She added: ‘I am sure her motives are very laudable but her actions are increasing the problems in the town’
Ms Waugh said that Ms Colley’s comments had ‘shocked and appalled’ her.
She said: ‘We are not a soup kitchen, we are a registered charity. We help everybody.
‘Our motto and our constitution is that we are a charity for vulnerable and homeless people. We are seeing 300 people to 450 people a week.
‘Last week we actually had over 500 people in. We have not encouraged people to sleep rough.’
Ellie Waugh has hit back at the claims and compared it to ‘social cleansing’, saying: ‘Last week we actually had over 500 people in. We have not encouraged people to sleep rough’ (stock photo)