COUNCIL bosses have apologised after a homeless charity was forced to fork out cash to put a vulnerable man in hotel accommodation.

Homeless Project Scotland chiefs say they had to act in Glasgow city centre on Saturday night when the individual was told to either stay on the streets or receive free transport back to South Lanarkshire.

But it’s understood the man did not want to leave the city over concern for his life and that later it transpired an administration error incorrectly ruled that he should be returned to the area by Glasgow City Council officers.

He has since been given accommodation in Glasgow by the local authority but only after spending several nights in the Grand Central Hotel, which was paid for by Homeless Project Scotland volunteers.

Colin McInnes, the charity’s boss, who travelled from Lanark on Saturday night to answer the plea for help, said: “We were called out to help at around 11.30pm and we followed the usual process, took his details and went to the council.

“They phoned back at 1.30am to tell him they weren’t going to accommodate him.

“This man couldn’t go back to South Lanarkshire because he feared for his life. He ticked all the boxes for homeless criteria.

“I fought with them for four and a half hours but they said they could not accommodate him and would just send him back in a taxi to South Lanarkshire.

“We tried to explain that he couldn’t go back but they said he had two choices: get the taxi or sleep rough.

“This was absolutely shocking.

“We as a charity made the decision that we were going to accommodate and paid for a hotel on Saturday and Sunday night. That cost us £90.

“He came back to us on Monday and told us how wonderful it was that he could wash.

“This was unacceptable and should not have happened.”

Following the incident, Jim McBride, head of Adult Services (Homelessness and Community Justice), Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, has apologised to the charity for how it was handled.

He has also asked for Homeless Project Scotland volunteers and council officers to meet as soon as possible to work together to avoid anything similar happening again.

Mr McInnes added: “The council needs to learn that folk are entitled to help and support.”

A spokeswoman for Glasgow’s Homelessness Services said: “Our staff have made 15,000 offers of emergency accommodation during the pandemic.

“It would be inappropriate to discuss individual cases, however we can confirm that Glasgow Homelessness Services continues to provide emergency accommodation to those we hold a statutory responsibility for, which is testament to our workforce of health and social care staff working throughout the pandemic.”