Council writes to Home Office over plans to house 121 asylum seekers in Shropshire village
The plans to house the asylum seekers in Stoke Heath were revealed by Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard
The leader of Shropshire Council has said the authority has raised concerns about the introduction of 121 asylum seekers to a small Shropshire village.
The MP for The Wrekin, Mark Pritchard, spoke during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) this week to raise concerns about the plans to house up to 121 asylum seekers in the small village of Stoke Heath, near Market Drayton,
Starting from this week, Serco, on behalf of the Government, plans to move up to 121 asylum seekers into 21 properties in the village.
The MP has vowed to fight the move.
Speaking after PMQs on Wednesday (June 17) he said: “Stoke Heath is completely the wrong place to house large numbers of asylum seekers, whether that be families or single men.
“It is a rural village with limited access to services like shops and public transport. The nearest bus stop is a 30-minute walk away.
“For these individuals from other countries, Stoke Heath will be an unfamiliar environment where they will have nothing to do. It is neither safe nor fair on the local community to see so many asylum seekers in local housing.
“Such a large number of people, many of whom the Government knows little about, will be very unsettling for very many local people.”
He also called on Shropshire Council to apply for a judicial review of the Home Office’s decision.
Shropshire Council’s leader Councillor Heather Kidd said she has written to the Home Office.
She said: “The Home Office is responsible for providing accommodation for asylum seekers; this is not a responsibility of local authorities. While councils are notified of Home Office decisions to place people in their area, decisions about where individuals are accommodated are made by the Home Office, not the council.
“The Home Office is also responsible for ensuring that appropriate support is available to individuals wherever they are placed. Shropshire Council will continue to advocate for suitable support and appropriate placement locations for anyone accommodated in Shropshire.
“As a council, we will fulfil our statutory duties, working closely with our partners. This includes, where relevant, supporting access to education and providing statutory adult and children’s social care services.
“We have written to the Home Office to raise our strong concerns about this location and are awaiting a response before considering any further action.”
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