Opposition councillors are calling for Medway Council to change its policy to help the homeless this winter.

Medway Labour Group will be tabling a motion at the next meeting of Medway Council on January 26, calling for changes to be made to the Severe Weather Homeless Protocol trigger.

At the moment, if there are three consecutive days of sub-zero temperatures forecast, the council must offering emergency support to the homeless. But Medway Labour Group is calling for this to be reduced to two consecutive days.

Cllr Naushabah Khan said: “To wait for three consecutive days of sub-zero weather forecasting before offering them any support is an unacceptable period of time and puts homeless people in Medway in real danger – reducing this to two days will go some way to protecting the safety of homeless people.

“We need to do more to support and help homeless people and this motion should be the start of real action to tackle the issue in Medway.”

A Medway Council said it operates a Severe Weather Protocol in line with national guidance.

This works based on advice from the Met Office during periods of severe weather and when forecasts are for temperatures to be at zero for three days.

The council has not yet been advised to put the protocol in place this winter.

But members of churches in Medway have come together to offer shelter in a church hall if temperatures drop below freezing. The shelter was open for one night earlier this month.

Ken Rose, from St Paul with All Saints Church in Chatham, said: “I want to get people off the streets so they’ll be safe and not at risk of dying from hypothermia.”

For its Christmas Appeal 2016, the Medway Messenger is raising awareness of the issue of homelessness and urging readers to support charity which are helping people on the streets this winter.

More in the Friday's Medway Messenger.