West Lindsey District Council to push for more Home Office sessions on asylum seeker plans
Yesterday locals were invited along to a number of meetings - with many describing them as 'disappointing'
Last updated 1st Sep 2023
The leader of West Lindsey District Council says they will push for more community engagement events to be held over plans to house asylum seekers at the former RAF Scampton base.
Yesterday locals were invited along to a number of meetings - with many describing them as 'disappointing'.
West Lindsey District Council leader Trevor Young says:
"They need to give more advance notice. Possibly they need to do it village by village. I think they underestimated in terms of the size of the population around Scampton.
"From a District Council perspective we think this is really important so we will be pushing them for more meaningful engagement sessions in a different format which includes all the local communities.
Speaking about the Home Office he says:
"This is their responsibility, they need to engage with the public and give them the answers. We're not in a position to be able to do that - we are searching for answers ourselves".
Yesterday locals were told that the Home Office is hoping to have the RAF Scampton asylum centre fully operational by Christmas time, during last-minute consultation sessions held on Thursday.
Four sessions were held at the Lincolnshire Showground’s Epic Centre – a short drive from the former airfield where 20 to 30 portacabins have already been installed.
Attendance was tightly controlled, with only 100 people allowed per session from the former service family accommodation or nearby villages of Scampton, Aisthorpe, Brattleby, Cammeringham and North Carlton.
Only about 30 to 35 people attended the first three morning and afternoon sessions, but the final one at 6pm was completely sold out.
Members of the press were not allowed on the premises and were told to leave by police if they attempted to approach the conference room.
This was the first time that residents were told about the Christmas target, although West Lindsey District council has expressed scepticism that it is achievable.
The first wave of 50 migrants is expected to arrive by the end of September.
This move is controversial given that plans are still under scrutiny. A judicial review from West Lindsey District Council is set to be presented before the High Court in London on October 31 and November 1.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
“To keep the local community informed, a series of engagement events have been held for local residents on the use of RAF Scampton as asylum accommodation.
“Delivering accommodation such as Scampton, will be more affordable for taxpayers and more manageable for communities, due to healthcare and catering facilities on site, 24/7 security and the purpose built, safe and secure accommodation they provide.
“We understand the concerns of the local community and will work closely with the councils and key partners to manage the impact of using these sites. This will include liaising with local police to make sure appropriate arrangements are in place.”