Beggars CAN'T be choosers: Windsor's homeless slam council boss who accused them of 'marching tourists to cashpoints' and making a 'life choice' - and wants them gone before royal wedding
A homeless man today hit back at the leader of Windsor council who demanded he should be removed from the streets before the royal wedding and said: 'It's not our choice to be homeless'.
Simon Dudley said rough sleepers are 'aggressive and intimidating' and wants them to be moved on before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot in May.
The Conservative Councillor even accused the beggars of 'marching tourists to nearby cashpoints' and demand money from them.
He added that the 'detritus and bags' of homeless people could provide a security risk when the royal couple get married at Windsor Castle.
James, 35, is homeless and is living on the streets of Windsor and has criticsed what Cllr Simon Dudley said
Hundreds of tourists lined the streets in Windsor on Thursday morning - next to a homeless man who is sleeping at a bus stop. There is no suggestion he has been begging
Cllr Simon Dudley (left, with Theresa May) has accused rough sleepers of 'aggressive begging and intimidation' and wants them moved on before Prince Harry ties the knot with Meghan Markle in May
A homeless man was photographed sitting down next to a suitcase and acoustic guitar in Windsor on Thursday. There is no suggestion he has been begging in the town
A homeless person was seen sleeping in a bus stop in Windsor on Thursday - just days after Mr Dudley's comments. There is no suggestion they have been begging
But homeless people living in Windsor have slammed Cllr Dudley and one, James, 35, told the BBC: 'He should come out and talk to the homeless and find out what their stories are before he makes those kind of accusations.
"It is not our choice to be homeless. Everyone has their own reasons, everyone has their own story.'
And homeless charities have now criticised his 'abhorrent' comments adding that moving homeless people on is simply 'counterproductive'.
In a series of tweets while he was on a skiing holiday in Wyoming, US, Cllr Dudley claimed some homeless people have 'marched tourists' to cashpoints to withdraw money.
But Thames Valley Police refuted his claims and said they 'deal with begging' but have not received reports of homeless people forcing people to withdraw cash.
Murphy James, manager of the Windsor Homeless Project, said Cllr Dudley's comments were 'disgusting' and said the accommodation offered to homeless people was 'rat infested'.
Speaking about Cllr Dudley, he told the Slough Express: 'It shows he hasn't got a clue. He has quite obviously never walked even an inch in their shoes.
'It is absolutely disgusting he is putting out such an opinion that it is a commercial life choice.
'Even if they do have homes, there is a reason they are on the streets. In order to beg you have to have the lowest level of self confidence.
'Having a key to a front door does not make everything better.
'The main reason they end up back on the streets is that they are lonely and the only thing they own in life is a sense of community.'
He added: 'It's absolutely abhorrent that anybody has got these views in this day and age, especially a lead councillor of the borough.
'If somebody is sleeping out on the street they are not there by choice, they are there because something has gone wrong.
'I went out on Christmas Day and there were 12 people laid out on Windsor High Street, they were not there by choice.'
Prime Minister Theresa May also criticised his comments and said councils 'need to work hard to ensure they provide accommodation'.
Speaking during a visit to a hospital in Camberley, Surrey, she said: 'I don't agree with the comments that the leader of the council has made.
'I think it is important that councils work hard to ensure that they are providing accommodation for those people who are homeless, and where there are issues of people who are aggressively begging on the streets then it's important that councils work with the police to deal with that aggressive begging.'
Mr Dudley has complained about the homeless people who are living near Windsor Castle (pictured today)
Mr Dudley has accused some of the homeless people in the town of forcing tourists to withdraw cash for them (pictured today. There is no suggestion he has been begging)
A young man wearing a hat was seen living under a bus shelter in Windsor town centre on Thursday. There is no suggestion he has been begging
Sheets, boxes and clothes could be seen inside a bus shelter in Windsor town centre on Thursday
A group of homeless people are currently living outside an abandoned shop in the town centre
Homeless charity Shelter said that people who end up on the street are 'at their lowest point' and said they 'desperately need help' after Mr Dudley's comments.
Greg Beales told the Guardian: 'Stigmatising or punishing (rough sleepers) is totally counterproductive.
'They desperately need our help, support and advice to move off the streets into safety and, eventually, into a home.'
The Brett Foundation is a charity in nearby Maidenhead, Berkshire, and said it was 'deeply disappointed' after Mr Dudley said he wanted homeless people off the street.
A 40-year-old man who is sleeping in a bus stop in the High Street in Windsor said he has been offered temporary accommodation in Southall but won't take it because his mother lives locally.
The former conservatory fitter told the Slough Express: 'It has been really hard and it is absolutely freezing.
'People's generosity gets me through and it is always those who can't afford it who help.'
Another man has been in and out of the temporary accommodation in Southall and said that 'you have to put up with loads of abuse'.
It comes after Mr Dudley wrote to the police and said the homeless have been 'praying on tourists' and added: 'It is time for you to deal with this issue.
'This is not voluntary homelessness. It is commercial life choice praying on residents and tourists.
'It's been going on and getting worse for months. Enough is enough.'
He added: 'It's largely vagrancy and begging. People marching tourists to cash points to withdraw cash, hanging out near car park ticket machines to get discounts and ask tourists for money.'
He also fumed that they 'present the town in a sadly unfavourable light'.
In a series of tweets, the boss of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead authority said 'residents have had enough of this exploitation of residents and six million tourists pa [per annum]'.
He also vowed to write to Thames Valley police 'asking them to focus on dealing with this before the #RoyalWedding'.
In reply, Windsor Police tweeted: 'We need to protect the most vulnerable in society by working together but each agency must understand its own unique responsibilities.
'Housing is the responsibility of the council but it is better that agencies work together so people don't become homeless.
'We deal with reports of begging proportionately but we have not had reports of anyone being marched to cashpoints to take out money.'
It is expected that tens of thousands of people will arrive in Windsor for Harry and Miss Markle's wedding on May 19.
The chapel was described as a 'very special place' for the prince and where the couple had spent time together during their romance.
The 11th century castle is one of the Queen's favourite residences and she often spends weekends there.
Last month the 91-year-old monarch was spotted riding her beloved black pony in the grounds, while accompanied by Head Groom Terry Pendry.
Windsor Castle is also open to the public, attracting 1.36million visitors each year.
Windsor castle is one of the Queen's favourite residences and she often spends weekends there. Pictured, the monarch walks her dogs in the castle's grounds
Harry and Miss Markle will walk down the aisle at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19 this year
In a letter to Anthony Stansfield, the police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley, Cllr Dudley said that a lot of the people 'begging' in Windsor were not in fact homeless.
He claimed that if they were homeless they were 'choosing to reject all support services... In the case of homelessness amongst this group, it is therefore a voluntary choice.'
Cllr Dudley added that the bags left by those begging 'is a significant security concern, especially given the national importance of Windsor.'
'Obviously, the level of tourist interest is set to multiply with the Royal Wedding in May 2018, and there are increased concerns from our residents about their safety', he wrote.
Cllr Dudley also called on the police to use powers under the 1824 Vagrancy Act and the 2014 Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act to tackle the rough sleepers.
Mr Stansfeld said he was 'somewhat surprised' that the letter was released publicly before being 'sent directly to me'.
'I myself attended a Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council in October and these issues were not raised,' he added.
'I will of course provide Cllr Dudley with a full response addressing his concerns once I have received the letter and investigated further the issues he has raised.'
He added: 'Protecting the public is of the utmost importance to both myself and Thames Valley Police and the force work day in and day out to keep people safe from harm and make the Thames Valley a safe place to live, work and visit.'
Mr Dudley's comments have been criticised by a local homeless charity manager, who described them as 'sickening'.
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