RAF Scampton: Council appeals for 'urgent' talks with Home Secretary over future of asylum plan
A council has urged the new Home Secretary to make a decision on plans to house asylum seekers on a former RAF base "as soon as possible."
The previous government had proposed to use RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire as a reception centre for up to 800 asylum seekers.
The conversion of the former home of the Dambusters squadron has been met with strong opposition from both residents and the council.
The Labour Party leader Keir Starmer had pledged at a conference in Liverpool last October to cancel the plans.
Following Labour's landslide victory in the General Election, the government announced the Bibby Stockholm would stop housing asylum seekers from the end of 2025 as part of an overhaul of the system.
However, there has yet to be an announcement regarding the plans for RAF Scampton.
A spokesperson for West Lindsey District Council has now urged Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to provide an update on the plans.
In a statement, they said: “It’s clear the Home Secretary is taking decisive action to implement a new approach to reducing the asylum backlog and providing suitable accommodation.
“The council has reached out to secure an urgent conversation regarding the future of RAF Scampton, this hasn’t happened yet.
“Whilst it’s appreciated the workload of the new Home Secretary is significant, each day that goes by heightens the uncertainty faced by the council and our development partner which could be damaging to the overall viability of the investment and regeneration plan.
“We look forward to receiving a decision on the future of the site as soon as possible.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the Home Office was unable to provide an update on RAF Scampton.
The LDRS said the Home Office maintained that the Home Secretary would decide on the future of the site in due course.
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