A COUNCIL decision to move homeless families from their accommodation has left a worried mother fearing she could lose her children.

Fears have arisen following a decision by Denbighshire County Council (DCC) to relocate homeless people from their current temporary accommodation on Rhyl seafront - which has been dubbed a manoeuvre to prevent a potential negative impression for holidaymakers.

In a statement on behalf of the council to members, cllr Bobby Feeley, the cabinet member for well being, told members: “The provision is in Rhyl and has often centred on hotels and B&Bs with a potential negative impact on the tourist and regeneration programmes for the town”.

Now, worried resident, Zoe Stuart, 37, a mother of three boys, said she has been left in limbo and does not know what will happen to her family.

She said: “I’m worried that we’re going to end up on the streets because nobody is telling us where we’re going to be going.

“And if that’s the case then social services are going to get involved and my son could be taken from me. My eldest is classed as an adult so he could end up on the streets. It’s scary.”

On cllr Feeley’s comments in cabinet she said: “She has tarred us all with the same brush, she has said we are not good enough for society. Why aren’t we good enough?

“Who decides that, she has never met me before so why does she have this opinion of me and my children.”

She added: “The situation is exactly the same as last week, we still don’t know if we’re coming or going.

“We’ve still got no answers for the children which is the most upsetting part because they’re looking to me as an adult and a parent to make them feel safe and I can’t do that because I don’t feel safe myself, it’s horrible.

“I no longer have the same case worker, I’ve not met my new one, I don’t even know his surname.

“Every time I try to phone up they’re in meetings, it’s just impossible to get hold of anyone.

“I know they have a hard job ahead of them, I know it’s not just me in this situation but at the end of the day they should just get everybody together and say what is going to happen.

“I just want to have peace of mind, but I’m not getting that and I’m very worried about it. ”

A spokesperson for DCC said: “We are reassuring families and individuals they will not be moved until suitable accommodation is found, preferably in their own community wherever possible and if it’s appropriate.”

One former resident, Lewis Burke, 25, from Bodelwyddan was moved out of the hotel he had called home for six months two weeks ago.

But with the council offering him accommodation out of the county away from his support network, he has found himself sleeping on sofas of friends.

He too is worried he could end up sleeping rough.

“It’s a very real possibility. The Westminster was really nice, they were really accommodating. It was really clean, they were enormously helpful and very understanding.

“We just want somewhere temporarily that is in the county that is safe and suitable until we can get permanent accommodation.”

However, Denbighshire Homelessness Champion cllr Brian Blakeley has disputed claims that people are being "turfed out" and met with some of the families affected with cllr Feeley at the Westminister hotel on Monday, March 4.

Cllr Blakeley said: "I've spent all morning with the families affected, and I have to say that what people are missing is that these families need whatever temporary accommodation we can find for them, wherever that is.

"Quite simply, as Denbighshire is being squeezed by austerity measures like everywhere else and we don't have the homes available to house everyone we need to - but we still have a duty to ensure they have a roof over their heads.

"Until we can bring derelict buildings back into use or build new, fit for purpose homes, we have a real dilemma. I don't want to see anybody having to sleep rough on the streets of Rhyl, and if that means giving them temporary housing until

However, the move has received pushback from Conwy County Borough councillors, including Colwyn Bay county councillor Bob Squire, who The Journal recently reported has accused Denbighshire of passing on "a big problem", as well as North Wales AM, Llyr Gruffydd, who dubbed the decision “social cleansing”.

Cllr Blakeley hit back: "There are certain people who are using our homeless as a political football, and that really drives me around the bend. No one is being turfed out - Conwy, Flintshire and Denbighshire county councils have always worked together this way.

"Yes, Denbighshire could always do more but our homelessness team are working relentlessly to find a permanent solution but we need people to work with us to fix the problem."