by Nick Lillitos
nlillitos@thekmgroup.co.uk

There will be 'no room at the inn' for Maidstone’s homeless people, now facing a bleak time over winter and especially Christmas.

An ambitious 'floating shelter' project - the first of its kind in Maidstone that would have provided the homeless with food, accommodation and health care has been reluctantly abandoned by the Salvation Army after the council failed to give it a decision before the deadline.

The organisation had asked Maidstone Borough Council to share half the total cost of £30,000, but the council’s failure to assist has resulted in the Sally Army dropping the scheme.

"It's very sad - we simply ran out of time waiting for the council’s response,” said Major Grayson Williams of Maidstone SA branch.

"There were several meetings with the council which first started back in July.

"It was made clear that we needed to know by the end of September if they would share the cost, but we’ve received no clear answer from them, other than a lady who phoned after we prompted, to say she had not heard back from the people who were dealing with it.

"September was the cut off point for us if we were to organise the considerable logistics required in time.

"I don't know the reason behind the council’s thinking, perhaps it’s because of all the cuts central government is imposing on them.”

If the floating shelter had taken off, it would have seen seven churches in Maidstone providing one night accommodation over a 12-week period starting in December.