COUNCIL bosses are facing mounting pressure to reconsider the “hostile” stance towards the homeless community in Bournemouth.

A series of heated attacks have been launched at Bournemouth Borough Council amid a fortnight of intense national coverage on the town.

This week artist Stuart Semple showed the Daily Echo ‘hostile designs’ in Bournemouth, including metal bars placed on benches to prevent rough sleepers from using them.

Cllr Robert Lawton, portfolio holder for housing, said the council have to “carefully” manage the needs of everyone in the community.

He said: “This is why, following numerous complaints last summer from residents, older people, shoppers and businesses, the carefully assessed decision was taken by the multi-agency operational group which meets regularly to manage rough sleeping and street based anti-social behaviour, to put the cost effective bars in on a very small number of benches in select areas of the town centre.

“These were areas where people were using the benches to sleep on during the day. Benches elsewhere in the town have not been affected.”

The spotlight has been firmly focused on homelessness in Bournemouth in recent weeks.

Homeless man Kevin Fillsell was found dead in a town centre car park last week.

Two days ago, rapper and broadcaster Professor Green came to the town and posted footage online showing one of the bars being temporarily replaced to highlight how it can be used to provide shelter.

Hours later a petition was set up by 19-year-old Poole resident Savanna Cutts calling on the bars to be removed. It had gained more than 1,000 signatures in the first 24 hours.

Cllr Lawton said there are many wider issues around the divisive subject of homelessness.

“We are constantly working hard to carefully balance the needs of often very vulnerable rough sleepers alongside the needs of the wider community,” he added.

The Daily Echo understands, at present there is no plan to review the implementation of the bars on town centre benches.

Bournemouth Borough Council says it spends almost £10m per year on direct services to help people faced with homelessness.

This includes various measures and the council provided 15 different services they are involved with.

Town centre councillor Mike Greene declined to comment.