A PETITION asking for "anti homeless" bars to be taken off benches in York will be considered by a top councillor next week.

More than 5,000 people put their name to the plea that bars installed on benches around Rougier Street be taken away, so rough sleepers are not forced away from busier and safer parts of town.

On Monday the City of York's executive member for housing and safer neighbourhoods Cllr David Carr will decide whether to grant the petition's pleas.

The petition says that "anti homeless bars" like those used at Rougier Street are just one example of "defensive architecture" which is becoming more and more frequent in city centres.

It adds: "If City of York Council is so uncomfortable at the sight of homeless people - even terming it 'anti-social behaviour', they should intensify work to getting the help and housing required rather than decanting them out to the darker corners of York."

However city council staff have advised the executive member not to take the bars away, and say the area is not used by rough sleepers.

In a written report for Cllr Carr the assistant director for housing Steve Waddington wrote: "Yes, individuals may have slept on the benches, however they were predominantly individuals who have access to accommodation, or have chosen not to access accommodation and fall into the category of 'street drinker' who used the benches during the day time early evening. This is not a location highlighted as used for 'rough sleeping' during the night."

Instead, the benches were often used by people drinking in the street and complaints were made about people being aggressive or anti social towards bus passengers waiting at the stop - many of them elderly or vulnerable.

Support is available for street drinkers, he added, while there are beds at the Arc Light, the Peasholme centre, and through the No Second Night Out project to make sure people are not forced to sleep rough.

The report urges Cllr Carr to keep the bars in place to deter street drinkers, and to help bus passengers, but adds that he needs to consider the "reputational impact" of any decision.