Home Office criticised for lack of consultation over Portland migrant barge
Dorset PCC David Sidwick has called the Home Office's response "lethargic and somewhat confused"
As the asylum barge prepares to head towards Dorset the Home Office has been criticised for its attitude – at a meeting of the Dorset Police and Crime Panel.
Weymouth councillor Pete Barrow said the way Dorset has been treated is outrageous – his view echoed by the Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick.
Said Cllr Barrow: “the fact that this has happened and we’ve had no consultation and no warning and this immensely disruptive situation has arrived in our area is outrageous..
“It’s thanks to the police and all the other services for resolving the Government’s mess for them.
Hopefully this all works out and everything is all ok but the initial situation was just outrageous.”
The Commissioner said he echoed the feelings and told the panel of his battle to try and ensure additional Dorset Police costs were not met locally, but by central Government, resulting in an agreed payment of an extra £520,000 for policing costs and a promise for the Home Office to meet any mutual aid payments in full, should extra officers need to be brought into the county from outside forces to help maintain normal policing levels.
Mr Sidiwick said that there was no infrastructure in place, or seemingly even considered, when the announcement that the barge was coming was made.
“I would characterise the Home Office response as lethargic and somewhat confused… initially there was a lack of understanding that this was not just a hotel, but a novel situation,” he said.
He said he was now content with the level of financial support, with a promise that further funding would be considered, should other costs later be identified, or should the barge stay longer than a year.
“I am frustrated by the fact that the community have been left in the dark as we tried to extract information from the Home Office – I was very clear and direct in some of my correspondence that they needed to come to Portland and I was grateful that they did even though the answers may not have satisfied the people of Portland.
“For the moment though we are where we are. I’m content and the Chief Constable is content that the initial concerns have been addressed. I absolutely expect to be putting in another bid and I’m determined that the cost of this exercise will not be borne by police budgets already, it will be paid for centrally.”
The Police and Crime Commissioner added: “We now have to make it work for two sets out people; the asylum seekers who haven’t asked to be put on this barge, but also very much the people of Dorset and in particular the people of Weymouth and Portland.”