A local mayor has fumed at plans to use eight homes in her tiny Cumbrian town to house asylum seekers.
The properties in the remote seaside town of Millom are set to be converted into Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs).
The homes will be used to put up around 40 newcomers from overseas with annual returns of up to 15 per cent promised to developers on their investment costs.
The town is already in the midst of a housing shortage and locals have responded with fury, with graffiti appearing on the side of one of the properties under renovation reading ‘not welcome scum’, in large black letters.
Simone Faulkner joined Patrick Christys on GB News
GB NEWS
Speaking on GB News was the town’s mayor, Simone Faulkner, who told Patrick Christys about how locals are ‘fighting back’ against the plans.
“Our infrastructure is poor, transport is poor”, she said.
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“What I think has created this high tension is that the community were not consulted by anybody.
“We just did not know this was going to happen until the workers came in, started working on the properties.
“We, the town council, knew nothing about this until it actually appeared on social media.”
Angry locals argue there isn’t the infrastructure to house asylum seekers with public services severely stretched.
The Home Office has responded to the matter
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PALocal vandalism has been condemned by the town’s council who have called on local residents not to take the law into their own hands.
The Home Office has also rallied against local destruction while also clarifying the Government’s position on housing migrants in the area.
A spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “We condemn any vandalism in the strongest possible terms. We have always been upfront about the unprecedented pressure being put on our asylum system, brought about by a significant increase in dangerous and illegal journeys into the country over recent years.
“The Home Office has a duty to provide safe and secure housing for asylum seekers and we are continuing to work closely with local authorities in Millom, to manage any impact in the area and address the local communities concerns.”
The Government’s stance has done little to quell Faulkner’s frustrations as she told GB News there has been no ’strategy’.
“Millom is a very compassionate town”, she said.
“We housed Ukrainian refugees quite happily, no issue, but because we’ve not been given any information at all, we just don’t know what’s going to happen or how it’s going to happen.
“I know there will be support, but we’ve not been given that information.”