Council Enforcement Officers to Help Tackle Rough Sleeping

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APCOA staff will use StreetLink system to report locations

Staff will have the StreetLink app installed on their handheld devices. Picture: APCOA

July 1, 2025

Civil enforcement officers working in the boroughs of Hounslow and Ealing are now able to report incidents of rough sleeping.

APCOA Environmental Enforcement Officers (EEO’s), working in partnership with Ealing and Hounslow Councils, will be able to connect people sleeping of the streets with local support by using an app installed on their handheld devices.

The app creates a direct link between officers on the ground and the StreetLink platform which uses alerts from members of the public in a similar way. Officers will be able to pinpoint the exact location where a person has been seen sleeping rough and provide a brief description to help support teams recognise and assist the individual. The StreetLink platform first went live in September 2023 and processed over 52,000 alerts and aided more than 6000 individuals across England and Wales in the first 8 months alone.

Hounslow Council and Ealing Council share a joint contract with APCOA that began exactly one year ago. APCOA EEOs patrol public spaces and can issue fines for littering, dog-fouling and fly-tipping. They also report and co-ordinate the clearance of fly-tips. The contract is a three-year agreement, with options to extend for up to three additional one-year terms .

Kim Challis, APCOA Regional Managing Director UK&I commented, “We are so pleased to be working in partnership with Ealing Council and Hounslow Council to support the work of StreetLink as part of our Environmental Enforcement contracts. Adding social value to the communities in which we work is an important part of our ethos as a business and we are delighted to support such an impactful initiative.”

Councillor Louise Brett, Cabinet Member for Safe and Genuinely Affordable Homes at Ealing Council said, “Helping those who are sleeping rough remains a top priority for Ealing Council, and we’re committed to doing everything we can to support them. By working with APCOA officers on the ground and making use of tools like the StreetLink app, we’re working smarter to ensure people aren’t overlooked and can be connected with local services quickly and effectively.”

Councillor Sue Sampson, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness at Hounslow Council said, “In Hounslow, we believe no one should face the challenges of rough sleeping. Through our collaboration with APCOA and the use of the StreetLink platform, we are improving how quickly we can reach vulnerable people and ensure they get the care and support they need to move forward.”

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