Thames Community Board has voiced grave concerns for those sleeping rough in town, with suggestions someone could die if there is no action.

“My concern is as a community board, as a community, as a council, that we have one of those people pass away from hypothermia, and then everybody says, ‘why didn’t you do something about [it]?’,” says community board chairman Adrian Catran.

The issue was raised at a community board meeting on Wednesday, with Catran saying not enough was being done to assist with the ongoing problem in the Coromandel town.

He says he is involved in providing meals to the homeless on Mondays while a Baptist church provided breakfast during the week.

“So, there are some things out there happening, but it’s obviously not enough in this current weather pattern.

His concerns follow reports of a significant increase in the number of rough sleepers in Thames and surrounding area.

Several groups are trying to find a solution with police, church representatives, social agencies and Thames-Coromandel District Council attending two rounds of meetings to work on a joint approach.

Thames-Coromandel district councillor Martin Rodley attended the second meeting and told the community board on Wednesday there had been a “moving discussion” from three people at the meeting who classified themselves as homeless.

“The story that one of them told was very much around a life of being desensitised, being in state care ... and I think that brought home to everyone that there is a whole lot of different circumstances ... [why] that person is in that particular state.

“One of our well-known street people up until his mid-20s was completely fine and then one day something happened. It does sort of make me feel that [through] some circumstance of fate [this] could be any of us.”

About 30 people are sleeping rough in Thames and the surrounding area.

Rodley says the discussion has moved forward with how agencies can assist with drug and alcohol-related issues, and looking at solutions like facilities where showers are available, or where the homeless can get washing done.

“The first meeting worried me a lot because it was ‘hey, we can solve this whole thing’, [but] it’s a not a completely solvable problem. So, I was encouraged by the second meeting that was more thinking ‘what are some of the things we can do and what might council’s role be in that’.”

Board member Rob Johnston asks if any specific actions have been taken.

“Sounds like not yet, but there potentially could be. How can we supply showers and who will take charge of asking those questions and getting answers, and assigning them?

“Is it going to be a meeting, or a group of people specifically tasked with finding that out?”

Thames Community Board chairman Adrian Catran fears someone could die if no action is taken.

Rodley says he understandsThames-Coromandel District Council community partnerships co-ordinator Helen Flynn will be leading this approach.

However, because her work is funded through the Cyclone Recovery Plan, funding is available only for the next calendar year, “after that we run out of recovery money”, Rodley says.

Catran told the Hauraki Coromandel Post last month it's estimated 30 people are now sleeping rough in Thames and the surrounding area.

He says some residents feel uncomfortable with the growing number of rough sleepers that have doubled from about 15 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some homeless people are congregating in the central business hub during the day.

-Waikato Herald.