Staff and members of the public at the public library in Gisborne’s city centre have been confronted with public urination, verbal abuse and aggressive behaviour which councillors believe could be linked to a growing homeless population.

Concerns about the behaviour of the sometimes intoxicated and mentally unwell people congregating outside the H.B Williams Memorial Library were raised during Wednesday’s audit and risk meeting.

A council spokesperson told Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) that behaviour included theft, vandalism, fighting, and using the surroundings of the building as a toilet.

So far this year, there have been 12 reported ‘abuse’ events and 55 reported ‘behavioural’ events at the library, with 14 of the events related to trespassed individuals’ non-compliance.

Staff safety was discussed at the meeting, as was the increasing number of homeless people in the region, as they tended to gather outside of the library.

Director of internal partnerships and protection James Baty stressed that the incidences of aggression at the library did not solely involve the homeless.

“We’ve had family feuds, throwing one of our photocopiers, you name it,” he said.

Liveable Communities Cultural Activities manager Pene Walsh told LDR behaviour ranged from verbal aggression toward staff and actions resulting from debilitating intoxication and poor mental health management.

“There is a growing number of people who feel disenfranchised through their beliefs and increasing poverty.

“Those who are drinking and/or taking drugs are confronting families entering the library which makes whānau feel intimidated and continues to be a real challenge for police who really are doing the best they can,” she said.

Occurrences of abuse at public libraries have increased in the past decade across Aotearoa, said Walsh.

At the meeting, Councillor Larry Foster, who owns a shop on the main street, said people should be able to visit the central business district without being intimidated.

The council had a lot of staff on the streets such as parking wardens and other staff trying to combat shoplifting and antisocial behaviour.

“How are we going to mitigate this? There’s mental health and the police aren’t really that visible [in town] when they say they are - they are not.

“It’s not just a Gisborne issue. It’s a nationwide issue. But everyone is running for cover and someone’s got to address it sometime.”

Cr Tony Robinson said the issues might be because of the free wifi available downtown. He suggested trialling having no free wifi, or just free wifi for two hours instead of 24/7, or using wifi codes.

However, Mayor Rehette Stoltz said the homeless had the right to use the wifi and their options were limited.

“No one chooses to sleep on Gladstone Rd when it is raining. There are severe mental health and social issues,” she said.

Chief executive Nadine Thatcher Swann said librarians were not equipped to deal with violence or mental health issues.

“If you think of your everyday career planning as a librarian, you don’t expect to wake up in the morning and deal with what they are dealing with.”

Council health and safety manager David Wilkinson said his department’s team supported library staff through their presence and videos of de-escalation situation awareness.

“We’ve trespassed a lot of people, but trespass is just a piece of paper.”

Trespassed people had gone into the library and staff were faced with confronting them.

Wilkinson said they were working collaboratively with police.

Stoltz said she had worked alongside police on the homeless issue for nearly 10 years.

“It is so complex. Otherwise, someone would click their fingers and solve it.”

It’s not just about creating more shelters, she said.

Stoltz said the council and Trust Tairāwhiti’s plans to revitalise the CBD would help.

“Overall if we attack things from different sides and work collaboratively... we will see a lifted spirit.”

Thatcher Swann said work was being done with Manaaki Tairawhiti and Ngati Porou and they were looking into what support churches could supply.

In places such as Hastings, helping the homeless was very much a church-driven initiative.

She also said Liz Crawford’s Ngati Porou’s Oasis Community Church and homeless shelter was at full capacity.