HOUSING charity Shelter is planning to take Glasgow City Council to court claiming it is denying people accommodation.

The charity said figures from the council show that people were turned away on more than 3000 occasions instead of being provided with temporary accommodation.

The council however said Shelter knows the claims it is making are untrue and said the charity should save its money for helping homeless people instead.

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In a letter handed over notifying the council of the plan to go to court Shelter said the council is breaking the law.

It also said that 47 homeless people have “died on the streets” which the council said is false.

Shelter said it is preparing a legal bid seeking a judicial review of the council’s homeless strategy and what it claims are “systemic failures”.

It wants a revised strategy that guarantees temporary accommodation for every homeless person.

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “Quite simply, enough is enough. The facts are clear, Glasgow City Council is breaking the law, homeless people are being forced onto the streets, officials are unable or unwilling to tackle the problem and the numbers are getting worse not better.

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“This is a Glasgow problem that needs leadership from the top to tackle. When Shelter Scotland supporters protested outside the City Chambers last year, we were hopeful that things would get better. Instead the numbers have gone up during a year when 47 people have died on Glasgow’s streets.”

Shelter says people are being turned away but when they return with a case worker from the charity or other homeless service they are provided with accommodation.

The council said there are reporting differences across the country.

A council spokesman said: “It is untrue to state that 47 people died on the streets of Glasgow in a year, and Shelter know it.

“Their own letter also accepts that there may have been over reporting in Glasgow which demonstrates they know their accusation of gatekeeping is also untrue.

“Rather than raising money for court action it would be helpful if Shelter worked constructively with us, to tackle the pressing issue of homelessness.

“We share a common aim and threats of legal action are an unhelpful distraction to this crucial work.”