A YORK businessman is threatening to take legal action against both City of York Council and the police over the number of beggars occupying the streets of the city centre.

David Hattersley said he is so infuriated by the lack of action from the city's leaders that he is prepared to take them to the High Court over the matter.

Mr Hattersley said: "They bring shame on York. And it's a scandal that nothing is being done to stop them.

"It shouldn't have come to this.

"But we have been asking for action about the problem for six months and the response has been wholly inadequate. We suggested a zero tolerance' approach months ago to be told that it doesn't work.

"Instead it's partnership this and multi-agency that. It's a load of politically correct rubbish. No one has got to grips with the problem."

He said beggars were causing alarm and distress to residents and visitors and damaging business.

The Press has previously reported how traders in Stonegate and Low Petergate sent a letter to City of York Council demanding more was done to tackle beggars who discouraged customers.

Mr Hattersley said he had long been in dialogue with both the police and council leader Steve Galloway about the beggars under Bootham Bar, who deterred potential diners from his Four High Petergate bistro, to no avail.

Now he has instructed his lawyers to take action.

International law firm Pinsent Masons has sent a letter to the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police, Grahame Maxwell, asking what action the force have taken against York beggars in the past, and what measures are in place to tackle them now.

A request to see "relevant extracts of police officers' notebooks, files and documents that relate to the apprehension and detention of vagrants" has also been lodged under Freedom of Information Act.

The letter goes on to say that lawyers are "currently advising our client as to whether any claim against either North Yorkshire Police or the City of York Council can be made with respect to a breach of duty to prevent actionable loss resulting as a consequence of a failure to address this problem properly".

Mr Hattersley said: "Begging, vagrancy and yobbish drunken behaviour on the streets of York are getting worse. We have substantial sums of money invested in the city with hundreds of employees' livelihoods at stake as a business and we are not prepared to sit idly by and allow it to go to the dogs.

"What we do today will have an effect on the success of our city in years to come."

He has contacted the police, council leader Mr Galloway and MP Hugh Bayley asking for action.

"Nothing is being done. We have taken a view that the problem is of such importance to the city that we are prepared to go to the High Court over it.

"We are currently awaiting further legal opinion from our QC in London but early discussions seem to suggest that both North Yorkshire Police and the City of York are exposed to potential Judicial Review proceedings over their consistent failings to deal with vagrancy."


Homeless not the problem'

DAVID Hattersley stressed that he believed the people causing the problems were not homeless people in real need.

He said: "This is not an attack on genuine people in trouble. Britain is the world's most civilised country and there is help readily available for everyone in a needy situation.

"This is an attack on a failing police system and an apathetic local government.

"Many of these beggars make a career of it. They have their patch and their routine - some even clock- off for lunch. A number of them are quite aggressive and intimidating.

"We understand that some of them claim benefits and live in council houses - a double smack in the face to the York taxpayers.

"York should send out a simple message to beggars - don't come here or you'll be arrested and put in front of a judge. Persistent beggars should be thrown out of the city permanently. The disgraceful home-grown beggars who live in York local authority housing should lose all their entitlement to benefits and housing full stop.

"Crimes are being committed every day on city property and neither the police nor the custodian of the city does anything about it. Why?"


No powers to act'

TODAY council leader Steve Galloway hit back, saying the council did not have the powers to act.

He said: "Mr Hattersley has been advised what powers are available to the various agencies to deal with this issue.

"Unfortunately, he claims that local government has powers which we simply don't have.

"I know that the police and Safer York Partnership will continue to work with affected residents to address the issue of vagrancy. They must operate within the law of the land."

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "Officers from North Yorkshire Police and the force's legal advisors have agreed to meet with Mr Hattersley and his solicitors as they have requested.

"At this stage it would be inappropriate to comment further."