LONDON: The London borough of Westminster, which covers much of central London, is planning to ban rough sleeping and fine homeless people $775 (500 pounds) if they refuse to get off its streets.

The leader of the Conservative-controlled Westminister council, Simon Milton, claimed residents felt threatened by ”aggressive begging and loutish behaviour by intoxicated rough sleepers (those who sleep in the street)”.

Milton also criticized soup runs, which he said made it possible for people to stay out on the streets.

“There is no need for people to sleep rough. Services such as soup runs make it possible for people to choose to stay on the streets.

“We would prefer them to accept help off the streets in one of the day or night centres. Leaving people on the streets is not compassionate.”

But homelessness charities condemned the proposed bylaw as a return to a Victorian era of criminalizing the homeless.

Philip Burke, chairman of the Simon Community, a charity for the homeless, said: “Many homeless people have been in children’s homes. A lot of them have been abused.

“They don’t want to go into hostels because they’ve been in institutions all their lives. It could make them criminals. It is taking us back to Dickensian times.”

The crackdown has been triggered by concern over rough sleepers congregating on the piazza outside Westminster Cathedral, which the council says is used by up to 20 people a night.

Michael, 45, a schizophrenic man who was bedding down by the Catholic cathedral, said he had tried and failed to find a hostel place.

“I’m only sleeping here because it’s safe,” he said. ”There are people moving around and it’s bright at night.

“I hope they get me into a hostel tonight. I’ve been trying for 10 days now. I couldn’t pay pounds sterling 500. I’d have to go to prison.”

Charities say there is a shortage of hostel places in central London. It can also be difficult for newly homeless people to get a bed: rough sleepers must be on the streets for at least three weeks before hostels can take them in.

The proposed ban on rough sleeping, which will operate from 9.30 pm to 7 am, needs government approval and has been referred to the office of the UK’s deputy prime minister, John Prescott.—Dawn/The Guardian News Service.