Councillor urges Home Secretary Suella Braverman to 'reconsider' decision on Portland barge

A Weymouth Town Councillor has called on Home Secretary Suella Braverman to reverse her decision to place 500 refugees seeking asylum on a barge in Portland.

Councillor David Harris says that the area is not equipped to deal with the arrival of the refugees.

The vessel is currently undergoing refurbishment in Falmouth, Cornwall and is expected to reach the Dorset coast in the coming weeks.

There will be basic, functional accommodation on board, as well as healthcare provision, catering and 24/7 security to minimise disruption.

It will hold around 500 asylum seekers for at least 18 months, the Home Office has confirmed.

The Government says that the use of vessels such as the Bibby Stockholm brings the UK "in line" with other countries around the world and in Europe.

In his letter the councillor said that the money used to set aside to refurbish and then place the barge in Portland could have been used to improve provision and facilities in the community.

In the letter he said: "We were invited to meet with a representative of the Home Office when this decision was thrust upon us and raised the necessity of keeping both Town councils in the loop.

"We, as councillors, would be the first port of call for residents to ask what was going on.

"This failed to materialise although we knew discussions were taking place, but soon realised that the resources we had been promised were not going to be realised.

"The communication locally was unable to answer questions and did not really indicate what the agendas were on the working groups.

"These plans, however, are made even more difficult due to the fact the refugees are on a floating vessel in a working harbour with strong security making access difficult. What is the point of such plans if there is not the person power to implement the plans if they became necessary.

"Weymouth and Portland have some of the most deprived wards in the country and access to doctors’ surgeries, dentists and other basic services are often very limited.

"The reason for housing people, seeking refuge from war zones and dictatorial governments, in a barge, was to save the government the cost of hotels.

"Can I politely suggest to you that these savings should have immediately been allocated to the residents of our two towns?

"This would have enabled Portland Hospital to be reopened and staffed adequately so that the local surgeries would not have to have further patients registered with them when they are already overcrowded.

"This would have been a positive lasting legacy."

Cllr Harris also said that doctors, dentists and nurses are in short supply in the area.

"I ask you to at least delay the process, so that residents and refugees can be confident that the conditions for everyone are properly in place," his letter continued.

"Far right extremists are already moving into the area and I am very nervous that the lack of real involvement of the local residents in the process, along with insufficient resources, will not help relationships.

"Give the assessment process the priority it needs so that this barge is not needed."