Tough powers allowing the moving-on of rough sleepers from public areas have been branded a form of “social cleansing” by campaigners.

On Wednesday, members of grassroots group Momentum organised a demonstration outside Maidstone’s Town Hall in Jubilee Square, calling on the borough council to take action to solve housing problems in the town.

The activist group, set up by supporters of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, was joined by some members from Maidstone’s growing homeless community unhappy about the authority’s plans to begin using Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

Introduced in 2015, PSPOs allow councils to take greater control of public spaces to tackle anti-social behaviour. This includes criminalising some practices not targeted by existing laws.

In Maidstone, councillors want to tackle rough sleeping, begging, drinking and use of so-called legal highs.

Consultation finished on January 25 and the plans are due to be discussed by councillors on March 15, with a decision expected later this year.

Maidstone council has hit back at claims it is not doing enough to tackle the housing crisis and emphasised PSPOs would only be used as a matter of last resort in extreme cases.

John Littlemore, the council’s head of housing and community service, said: “Our outreach service is very effective in getting rough sleepers off the streets and into accommodation.

"From May to December last year our staff helped 28 street homeless into accommodation" - John Littlemore, Maidstone council

“In the period from May to December last year our staff helped 28 street homeless into accommodation.”

It is estimated there are about 60 people sleeping rough in Maidstone town centre at the moment.

Momentum member Dan Wilkinson said the move could have the unintended consequence of sidelining some of the most vulnerable people.

He said: “PSPOs have the potential to be used as a form of social cleansing. People can be moved on for sleeping rough. How long will it be before we see this problem of hidden homelessness becoming worse?”

The Marden resident said bringing empty properties back into use could help solve the housing crisis.

There are more than 300 empty homes in the borough, while there are several prominent commercial properties in Maidstone that remain out of use.

The council also says it is working hard to solve the problem of empty homes, bringing 175 back into use since April 2014.