Council dispute moving two people living homeless at Windmill Hill tennis court

Ms Ritchie said they were removed due to health and safety issues.

"Just recently, we had the removal of two people up at the City of Launceston owned, unused, abandoned tennis court at Windmill Hill," she said.

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Ms Ritchie said the two were told their only option to return to Royal Park where they had previously been assaulted.

Ms Ritchie brought this incident to the attention of City of Launceston councillors during a recent ordinary council meeting.

Mayor Danny Gibson said he was not previously aware of this situation but would speak to Ms Ritchie after the meeting.

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He said he was proud of the work council officers do with the homelessness community.

"Council officers, day in day out, form meaningful relationships with members of our homeless community, support them and try hard to connect them with service providers and engage in meaningful conversations with them," Cr Gibson said.

Ms Ritchie also asked why council had rented out the portable toilets rather than purchase, saying the cost to purchase would have been the same after leasing for 12 months.

The portable toilets were rolled out as a council initiative in April 2022, to provide some amenities to an increasing homeless community.

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Community general manager Dan Ryan said council wanted flexibility with the portable toilets.

"We do know it is a transient community," he said.

"So we can bring in and drop off [portable toilets] as required so we don't have toilets sitting in a storage location that aren't being utilised at any given time."

Mayor Gibson acknowledged ongoing challenge of homelessness in Launceston.

"The City of Launceston has not moved anyone on from the Windmill Hill area," he said.

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