The Mayor of Medway Cllr Stuart Tranter has said the council should be the 'final refuge' for the homeless.

Cllr Tranter, ward councillor for Rochester west, said the deaths of two homeless men in Chatham could have just as easily have been lost in Rochester.

Last month he received a petition from residents who were concerned about aggressive beggars in the High Street.

“I have also been lobbied by those protesting on behalf of the homeless,” Cllr Tranter said. “As mayor, I talk to many charities and organisations helping, as well as council officers and other agencies. My charity Christians Against Poverty is assisting those on the edge of homelessness.”

There have been a number of calls for the council to do more to help rough sleepers across the Towns but Cllr Tranter said it was not just down to them.

He said: “Those who think the council is solely to blame are wrong and if anyone thinks the council alone can solve this they are living in a dream world.

“We can be a final refuge, for some of those who choose to engage. And the council can put people in touch with other agencies, and provide advice in general. But ultimately this is a problem we all own.

“What do you do as a council officer with the person who declines help, walking away from you? Can you force them back even if you knew where to find them?

"What about someone who is violent towards your staff offering support at a home? Who do you protect?”

Cllr Tranter said: “If you have a heart for this problem, seek out one of the many respectable charities providing help to those in difficulty. If you have no money, give some time. But please don’t start yet another group.

“I do not know if we could have prevented those recent tragic deaths, because I do not know enough about their journey. But I do know we must never give up trying. Perhaps together, we can make a difference to some.”

Read more in Friday’s Medway Messenger.