This week's blog

Firstly my apologies as there was no updated Blog last week as I have been quite ill and was sent to hospital.  On the mend now though so thank you to those who sent messages. 

Asylum Seekers at The Britannia Hotel

Standish Branch of the Labour Party discussed this at our Branch Meeting this week.   It was agreed that there is a lot of mis-information around the asylum seekers, because that is what they are and that we should be helping.   They are not economic migrants as stated on a Facebook Page and The Wigan Evening Post has published articles as has Lisa Nandy MP. (See links below).  The police have refuted claims of a rise in crime and the Headteacher of Standish High has also put the record straight. These people are unable to claim benefits and Serco give them a daily allowance only for essentials.  Much has been made of the fact that many of them carry smart phones.  Asylum seekers are not necessarily poor, they are fleeing from their countries in fear of their lives.  If I had to do this, leaving behind friends etc, my phone would be the first thing I took.  Many are targeted in their countries as Doctors, Accountants etc but are unable to work here for 12 months until the Home Office approves their status, if they are allowed to work they then pay their taxes and National Insurance here, contributing to our country.

Serco has said in the paper that the asylum seekers are in the Hotel temporarily for 3 weeks until other suitable accommodation is found and that the figures of over 100 there are vastly exaggerated. 

Using a hotel like this is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, residents and Wigan Council were never consulted on this.  The owners of The Britannia are profiting by selling rooms to Serco in this, and other hotels in their chain.

Mass graves of both women and children have been uncovered just this week in both Iraq and Syria.  In my work I interviewed a lady from Somalia who had watched her husband, her brother in law and her 2 sons aged 15 and 19 shot and killed in front of her.  She fled her after being threatened, she had no friends or family but was helped by a Wigan Church.  This lady was so sad, as if the life had been sucked out of her.  Should we really turn our back on someone like this?

The myth that living in a hotel is easy is far from the reality. I lived in a Wigan hotel with my family for 3 months following a house fire several years ago.  Like the residents at the Britannia, I was unable to do washing and cooking and relied heavily on friends.  The asylum seekers do not even have these to fall back on.

A Hotel is not the ideal place to house anyone, but Serco and the Owner of the Hotel have done a deal.  No additional money for food etc is paid for by the tax payer and all are funded by Serco's money from the contract. Wigan Council have no control over Serco or the Hotel owner in this and indeed raised concerns way back in July this year about the inappropriate housing of asylum seekers at the hotel.

These people are frightened, scared and far away from home. I will be liaising with Lisa Nandy MP on this.  Lisa is working hard to get answers from both The Home Office and Serco as her letter in this week's Wigan Observer shows.




http://www.wigantoday.net/news/local/claims-asylum-seekers-at-hotel-led-to-rise-in-crime-denied-by-police-1-7566882

http://www.wigantoday.net/news/local/truth-behind-hotel-petition-claims-1-7577990

Drop in Session at Standish Library - Wigan Allocations Plan

Members of the public can discuss the contents of the draft plan with officers from Wigan Council’s planning department at the following drop in session:

Wednesday 25 November 3 pm – 7 pm

Standish Library, Cross Street, Standish - Come along and have your say!  The consultation ends on 15th December.  Happy to have organised this for Standish!

Joke of the Week!

After winning by a whisker at last May's Local Election Cllr George Fairhurst has drawn his full allowance despite having just 38% attendance at Council Meetings.    Now his son Cllr Gareth Fairhurst has started a petition for his Dad to become Mayor (this is after a previous petition asking for a referendum on this)  Do we really want someone who gives 38% effort to be Mayor of Wigan?   I for one do not!

North West Ambulance Service - Cardiacsmart Award

Following the installation of the 2 defibrillators for Standish NWAS has awarded me and my colleagues at Friends of Standish Library with a Gold Award.