The head of Westminster Council's new building-based service for rough sleepers has hit back at critics, saying the policy has already had a positive impact.

The council has faced criticism from some homelessness charities and in the local press since it replaced its outreach teams with workers based in 24-hour day centres last month.

But Westminster's rough sleeping manager Janet Haddington said there was anecdotal evidence that providing services within buildings was proving more effective.

She said it allowed workers to give individual time to rough sleepers in a private setting, rather than arranging to meet someone in a cafe, as had previously happened.

Haddington was "fed up" with people assuming the scheme had been introduced for sinister motives when it had resulted from collaboration with independent researchers and voluntary sector agencies.

"It's not saving Westminster a single penny," she said.

But she did say that the scheme had yet to be fully implemented because the police, who would have "signposted" rough sleepers to services, had been diverted since the London bombings.