PCC letter to Home Secretary on Stoke Heath

Dear Home Secretary,

I write to voice my concerns in respect of plans to locate 120 asylum seekers in accommodation in Stoke Heath, a small, remote village in Shropshire.

To be clear at the outset I support and am proud of the UK playing its part in offering asylum to vulnerable people from around the world. Sanctuary and safety are the most basic human rights, and it is entirely appropriate that we welcome vulnerable people in our communities. That includes within the Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Worcestershire areas which make up West Mercia’s geography.

The concern I have in this specific case is that the specific location in question is wholly inappropriate for asylum housing, particularly on a scale such as this.

Stoke Heath is a small, rural village with a settled population of just a few hundred people. It has no significant infrastructure in respect of shops or transport. For example, the nearest bus stop is a 30 minute walk from the village.

There are also concerns that existing local services such as doctor’s surgeries and schools are simply not able to accommodate such a large percentage increase in the local population and the level of demand that inevitably comes with that.

To reiterate, those concerns would exist regardless of who those people are or where they come from because the issue at hand is a total lack of necessary wraparound support and infrastructure, not because people are asylum seekers.

It is also deeply disappointing that the Home Office has seemingly taken such a poor approach to stakeholder engagement in this case. My understanding is that local communities and public services had little to no warning of this decision and its implementation which is both disrespectful and inappropriate. The Home Office does not take decisions in a vacuum. Its actions have real life consequences for people, communities and services.

I would urge you to review the Home Office’s decision in this matter and take a much more pro active approach to partner and public engagement.