John Penrose

Conservative Party | Weston-super-Mare

Review funding for “Imported Addicts”

Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose is working with North Somerset District Council to review the grants being spent on imported addicts in Weston. 

Mr Penrose is concerned that money meant for local residents is being spent on drug addicts sent to Weston from across the country. Under the previous administration, North Somerset Council used some of its Supporting People Grant (SPG) to house and support ‘imported addicts’ who should be funded by the agencies who sent them.

SPG is provided by North Somerset District Council for housing related support in a number of residential, rehabilitation and supported hostels and homes which cater for drug and alcohol dependence

A recent Responsible Authorities Group (RAG) report shows that just 7% of people receiving SPG housing related support in Weston's unregistered rehabs were local.

Mr Penrose is working with the new council administration to develop a more localised approach. He said:

“I am delighted that the new administration is changing the focus. Local people were losing out. The SPG money should go to support local people in the most desperate need, instead of supporting other areas' addicts This was pushing up crime and dragging Weston down. Local people must come first.”

Mr Penrose confirmed:

“The Government admits that 'there are currently no cross-authority funding arrangements in place for the use of SPG funding by administering authorities.'

“They also said that “we (the Government) are not aware of any administering authority that awards contracts to providers to deliver services solely or mainly for people from outside their administrative area.”

“But that's exactly what North Somerset were doing. There are 12 unregistered facilities, with 81 beds, getting SPG support. Only 5 of those beds were filled by local people.”