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Somerset Councillor for Frome North (Lib Dem) Learn more
by adamboyden on 8 September, 2015
Update 29 Sept 2015: Although my formal motion was denied a debate at Full Council on 14th September, I asked formal questions and councillors did debate the issue as a result. We are waiting to hear from Government whether our area will receive any refugees, but Mendip has now agreed to coordinate a local response in case we do (see here for the Council’s recent statement and advice on how you can help, after an emergency meeting of the Mendip Migrants Forum). A local Refugee Support Group has also formed in Frome to coordinate offers of help. I am encouraging people to work together to help people in desperate need. To help, please see, call MDC on 0300 303 8588, and please contact Dinah Bardgett at Dinah.bardgett@gmail.com to get involved in the Frome group.
Update 8 Sept 2015: The Chairman of Mendip District Council has stated that following the statement read out at Cabinet on 7th September, she will not be taking the motion forward to debate ‘as a strategy is in place’. The statement from cllr Phil Ham (Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Equalities and Chair of the Mendip Migrants Forum) at Cabinet on Monday 7th September is here.
Motion denied:
The Motion I submitted on Friday 4th September, for Mendip’s next Full Council meeting on 14th September, is below:
“Mendip District Council recognises the need for the UK to accept thousands more Syrian refugees who are fleeing the horrors of war and terrorism in their country, and who are at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean Sea. The Council recognises the generosity of the UK Government is providing aid to refugees as part of the UK’s commitment to spending 0.7% of GDP on overseas aid. The Council agrees that we must play our part in tackling this crisis, and will inform the Government that we are willing to welcome a number of refugee families into Mendip. The Council will work with the Government, partner agencies and our communities across Mendip to offer a safe and welcome haven to Syrian refugees. The Council will prepare a strategy for resettling refugees in Mendip and identify the number of families that can be accommodated and supported. The Council would require that the costs associated with its assistance in this international issue would be met by central Government.
Proposed: cllr Adam Boyden (Lib Dem, Frome College ward)
Seconded: cllr Metin Sen (Lib Dem, Street North)”
Summary:
At the time of writing the Government has agreed, under pressure, to accept 20,000 more Syrian refugees from UN camps into the UK over 5 years, so up to 4000 a year. This is the greatest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War. I believe we in the UK have a moral duty to help. I have raised concerns last week that Mendip District Council should be proactively working to help resettle refugees in our area.
I have prepared a motion for Mendip District Council to consider at the next full council meeting (Monday 14th September, 6.30pm at MDC, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet), with the support of my Lib Dem group, spoken to relevant people, and contributed to an article in the Frome Times (see article here). On Monday 7th the Council’s Cabinet issued a statement (see here) and the Council’s Chairman decided to not consider my motion at the meeting as a result. I have submitting further questions to the council for consideration at the meeting and am encouraging people to put their own questions and petitions (from Frome, Glastonbury and elsewhere) to the Council, and to speak at the meeting (see here) in support of action. A number of people in Frome and elsewhere, some with very relevant expertise, have contacted me with offers of help, and I am waiting to hear from the Council’s lead officer how the community can get involved. Dinah Bardgett is also helping coordinate actions in Frome and can be contacted at dinah.bardgett@gmail.com. Frome Town Council is likely to discuss how people can help refugees at its next Full Council meeting on 23rd September, at 7pm at Frome Medical Practice. For immediate help, the British Red Cross, Oxfam, Save the Chilkdren and the UNHRC are in need of donations. To donate equipment for refugees in Europe at the Wheatsheaves pub and the Share Shop (for delivery to Europe in October) please see details here.
I will keep this page updated as much as possible.
At the time of writing the Government has agreed, under pressure, to accept 20,000 more Syrian refugees from UN camps into the UK over 5 years, so up to 4000 a year. This is the greatest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War. Over 4 million Syrians have fled the horrors of war in their own country. Neighbouring Turkey and the Lebanon have taken over a million refugees each. Just 6% have sought protection in Europe. Over 220,000 Syrians have died and 75% of those remaining live in poverty. Nearly 3000 refugees have drowned in the Mediterranean. The Government is providing £millions in aid to refugee camps as part of the UK’s commitment to spending 0.7% of GDP on overseas aid. But as one of the richest and safest countries in the world we can surely do much more to help. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Pope and many political leaders all agree that we a moral duty to help people in such desperate need.
Hundreds of people in Frome and Glastonbury and other local towns have signed petitions calling for our councils to welcome Syrian refugees into our area, and hundreds more are donating and collecting money, clothes and equipment items for refugees in Calais and Greece.
I and other councillors are now asking Mendip District Council to do its bit to help by applying to the Government to support the resettlement of refugees in our district. Gaining the support of the leadership of both Mendip (with its housing role) and Somerset County Council (with social services and education roles) will be crucial, and I hope discussions can continue this week. There will be challenges, with the Local Government Association asking for more central Government funding for local authorities to support refugees, local funding proving a problem recently elsewhere (in B&NES and Malvern/Worcestershire), and there many people and organisations who will need to work together. But I hope that Mendip will agree to examine how the Council can work with others to help refugees, at the full MDC council meeting on Monday 14th September at 6.30pm, Cannards Grave, Shepton Mallet. If anyone wants to offer their support please can they contact me at Cllr.boyden@mendip.gov.uk. I am also aware that an update from people coordinating actions in Frome will also be given at Frome Town Council’s meeting on 23rd September, at 7pm at Frome Medical Practice.
News updates and links:
[…] please contact Dinah Bardgett at Dinah.bardgett@gmail.com to get involved in the Frome group. See here for previous news on […]
[…] refugee resettlement programme and the local Frome Syrian Refugee Support Group. Please see here for previous […]