Residents will be aware of the challenges facing Hillingdon Council as it supports asylum seekers leaving hotels, perpetuated by the influx of families from the Chagos Islands. The rise in irregular arrivals and the Government's surrender of the Chagos Islands to an ally of China has left many families relying on council services for support.
While we are feeling this acutely locally due to our proximity to Heathrow, it is a national issue with ramifications for all local authorities. As Shadow Minister for local government, I used my oral question this afternoon to push the Government to provide fair funding.
This was part of my wider campaign to secure funding to cover the shortfalls councils up and down the country are facing this year. Referring to this dire situation, I asked the Minister how much of the proposed council tax rises would have to be spent on correcting the Government’s failures.
I was disappointed that the Minister did not express support for our colleagues in local government on this critical issue. Instead, he highlighted the work being done to push those granted refugee status out of local hotels without a plan to house them away from Hillingdon.
