Crime complaints linked to homeless hostel blamed on its ‘visibility’

Twm Owen – Local democracy reporter

Complaints about crime and anti-social behaviour linked to the conversion of an old people’s home to a homeless hostel are due to its “visibility”.

That’s what a housing manager told councillors when questioned about a perceived rise in crime since the former Severn View care home was converted to a 17-bed homeless hostel at the end of July, 2025.

Monmouthshire County Council strategic housing manager Ian Bakewell said it had been using a bed and breakfast to house homeless people in Chepstow since around 2020 or 2021 before opening the hostel in the former Severn View care home.

The council’s planning department received 159 written objections to the change of use with local residents saying they feared it would become a magnet for crime. In October police promised to step up patrols around Mounton Road and Regent Way after “several reports and allegations of criminal activity and anti-social behaviour” in the area since that July, including from a next door nursery.

Mr Bakewell was questioned about the facility when he updated a council scrutiny committee on work to prevent homelessness and how the opening of the Severn View hostel had contributed to a significant reduction in the use of bed and breakfast accommodation.

“When we opened Severn View all we did was move 17 people from one building to another,” said Mr Bakewell.

“I believe the visibility of Severn View is a lot more than when the bed and breakfast was used.”

He acknowledged there have been incidents related to the hostel and complaints and said “some have been fair and some have not been fair” but said: “I think the challenge is for us as an authority is where does our responsibility stop and start?

“Our job is accommodating homeless people and supporting them, we are not the police, we can’t control people.”

Bulwark and Thornwell councillor Sue Riley said there appeared to be “some increase in the level of crime and anti-social behaviour in my ward and people are starting to think it relates to Severn View.”

Mr Bakewell however said an issue in Bulwark would be for the police and said: “That’s not a matter for us or Severn View.”

But he said the hostel has 24 hour security, which patrol the area around the hostel including Regent Way and the council works closely with the police.

Complaints and incidents are also monitored by the council, and shared with the police, and while Mr Bakewell said there had been “a spike in complaints probably up until and going towards Christmas since it has been really low level.”

In response to St Kingsmark Conservative member Christopher Edwards, who asked about regular meetings with residents Mr Bakewell said: “My view is our door is always open to the residents.”

But he added: “We’ve also got to remember this is people’s home, 17 people live there. We need to be respectful of that.”

He also said the council is “doing everything to mitigate against” any negative impact on neighbours and has made changes since opening, including its support for hostel residents.

The council’s two full time support staff based at Severn View also have discussions with residents about responsibilities and impact on other people. He said the council still wants to provide more additional support at the hostel, but it can be dependent on funding and projects it has run included cookery lessons which also focused on numeracy skills.

Mr Bakewell said: “We would love there to be a gardening project as we think there is a good opportunity with the good grounds there.”

Conservative councillor for Raglan suggested the council contact local community groups that could be willing to work with it on such schemes and said: “If you’ve got something people can be proud of you’re going to have far less aggro.”

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