Councillors question use of refurbished flats to house asylum seekers
Richard Evans, Local Democracy Reporter
Asylum housing plans for refurbished flats are facing scrutiny over ‘fairness’ for local families.
Residential flats will be refurbished and used to house asylum seekers in a North Wales resort town. Conwy County Council has confirmed they will be housed under the UK Government’s Resettlement scheme.
The move has been criticised two Llandudno Reform councillors who have questions about funding and “fairness”.
Louise Emery and Tom Montgomery say the properties should be “prioritised” for local people.
A statement from the Conwy Reform Group said: “When there are hundreds of families on a waiting list for homes in the Llandudno area, priority has to be for those residents.
“Bringing properties back into use, particularly flats above retail units, is vital to tackle the housing waiting list.”
The asylum seeker accommodation will be provided by Home Office contractor Clear Springs Ready Homes, which intends to refurbish the flats on behalf of the landlord.
Funded by Home Office grants, Conwy’s resettlement teams will then offer support to the asylum seekers.
A Conwy County Council spokeswoman said: “Clear Springs Ready Homes assign their own housing officer. Resettlement teams in local authorities offer support and signposting.
“Resettlement teams are funded by grants from Home Office and Welsh Government. All the work of these teams supporting sanctuary seekers is covered by the grant, including translation.”
She added: “Families seeking asylum in Wales can access social services support, especially for children’s welfare and safeguarding – support is generally for needs like child protection, essential care, or interim help while waiting for Home Office support, not mainstream benefits. Children seeking asylum in Wales have the same right to free, compulsory, full-time education as other resident children.”
Reform councillor Tom Montgomery criticised the Welsh Government. “For years we have seen little progress locally in turning empty spaces above shops into homes for local people,” he said.
“Whilst the Welsh Government has finally provided some funding for town centre housing, it is too little too late for (some) individuals, including children who have literally grown up in temporary accommodation.”
He added: “Now the Home Office’s contractor is proving that these spaces can be turned into residential units. We need to see local housing bodies show the same dedication to providing local housing as the Home Office resettlement contractor is.”
Leader of Reform in Conwy, Cllr Louise Emery added: “This is about fairness. I want to see Llandudno families prioritised and given first preference for refurbished empty properties within the town centre. The resettlement scheme creates temporary residents by its very nature as they await a decision on their asylum application, whereas I would like to see Llandudno families permanently settle into decent accommodation in town.”
The Welsh Government declined to comment. The UK Government was also approached for comment.
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Hate to say it but I agree with the 2 councillors, councils have been prevented for years to build social housing and consequently the problem of homelessness has dramatically increased, priority should be for local people on the waiting lists in North Wales and the town and cities of Wales not used as dumping grounds- Llandudno has little sustainable employment beyond the tourist season where will these resettled persons find work given they will have limited english langauge ability and no welsh language abiliity whatsoever to intergrate into the local community.
Farage memo basically, they are not allowed independent thoughts. Let’s demonise vulnerable people because farage (who is really putins and trumps little helper and by extension, reform councillors). You want existing accommodation shut, then wonder where people have to go.
There’s just this small problem… that people on the Social Housing list are typically people in need of housing. We do have a housing crisis in the UK, just look at rent prices. How do you provide social housing to people in need if you have to allocate it to people who were not originally here. I mean, if we had housing that was say a six month turn over (i.e. you get housed in less than six months) this wouldn’t be a problem… but some people are on that list for years… in some cases decades, living in Bed… Read more »
Councils now have their own funding to increase their housing stock for local people. It’s called the second homes surcharge.
You would think… but no. It goes on social care. (It has to, councils are not legally obliged to provide council housing… they are obliged to provide social care).
As I understand it, any council in Wales can build council houses which would be paid for by the UK government. One of the problems is the cost of land, bought up by property speculators who make obscene profits. How about bringing such land under council control?
If they were genuinely caring for their communities, they wouldn’t be representing a racist party that wants to end Wales.
Totally correct.
While I agree with them, the Council’s hands are legally tied, they must house them in suitable accommodation (just like anyone else). Since it’s the home office, then naturally they get priority rightly or wrongly. If we want to change that… vote Plaid at the next election.
In the mean time, councils have to do what London says.