Council leader’s plea over Syria crisis

CHANGE the system says Oldham Council leader Jim McMahon

THE leader of Oldham Council is calling on the Government to end its contract with Serco and pass responsibility for handling the Syrian refugee crisis to local authorities.

Images of drowned Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi shocked the world from a “collective state of apathy” last week. Now Councillor Jim McMahon has urged the nation to step up and make fundamental changes to the system.

He said: “The image of Aylan splashed across front pages depicted the impact of the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the Second World War. Our country and my town has a long, proud history of helping those seeking a safe refuge.

“But in stepping up we should ensure refugee and asylum-seeker placements are done equitably. Our current system isn’t working and the Home Office should now end its contract with Serco, which looks to place asylum seekers in the cheapest available housing.

“Little or no regard is given to the impact on vital local services or the neighbourhood, which can lead to tensions. The current system is broken. The Home Office and Serco are either incompetent, indifferent or both and they’ve lost the confidence of local authorities.”

The Prime Minister announced on Monday that the UK will accept up to 20,000 people over the next five years.

But Councillor McMahon feels that policy made at national level fails to take account of the impact on the community and wants responsibility shifted to local authorities.

He said: “I’m ashamed and embarrassed at this country’s failure to show leadership. How can it be justified that Oldham and Rochdale, with a combined population of around 450,000, accommodate more asylum seekers than the whole of London and the South East combined?”

In August, the Chronicle reported that concerns had been raised after a group of asylum seekers were moved into a former care home without local consultation.