Asylum seekers last in the housing queue:

[gmb45]

Britain's biggest council decides to put its locals first

ah bout time some coont started thinking of the locals first ( even the brummies ) hmmm mind you with their brummie accent you would think they where foreigners when the foreigners land in brum i bet they think they got off in the wrong country




Cllr John Lines said the decision was 'in the interests of local people'



The largest council in the country is to stop providing homes for asylum seekers – so it can offer the properties to locals.
Birmingham City Council said last night that it had seen a surge in the number of existing residents who found themselves homeless in the aftermath of the economic slump.
Currently, nearly 200 homes are handed to asylum seekers who have been sent to the city while their applications are being processed by the UK Border Agency.
But the council is to cancel its contract with UKBA so the homes can instead be given to those who hail from the city.
Councillor John Lines, Birmingham’s cabinet member for housing, said the decision was ‘in the interests of local people’. He explained that the council expects nearly 8,000 applications for homes this year alone.
‘Over the last year, we have seen a sharp increase in the number of homeless people in Birmingham and we must help the citizens of this city first and foremost,’ he said.
‘With a long waiting list for homes, we really need all our properties for our people in these difficult economic times. I believe the UK Border Agency should find somewhere else to carry out their duties.’
Mr Lines said delays within UKBA meant hundreds of asylum seekers were obtaining British citizenship while they waited for their cases to be decided.
‘When they have been given citizenship the city of Birmingham has to treat them as citizens and give them one of our rare homes,’ he added.
‘I’m putting hundreds of Brummies in bed and breakfast, local people who possibly through no fault of their own are homeless.
‘I couldn’t sit here and allow the situation where Birmingham people have had to tolerate that whilst the border agency has got up to 200 of my homes for people who have come here for political asylum.’
Under the five-year contract, the council provided 190 properties to asylum seekers, but with turnover it meant up to 1,000 staying in the city every year.

The contract - which also involved Wolverhampton, Dudley and Coventry councils - comes to an end in June next year and will not be renewed, Mr Lines said.
Wolverhampton council is also expected to follow suit and stop housing asylum applicants, he added. Birmingham is run by a joint Liberal Democrat and Tory coalition, and is seen as indicating possible policy directions for the Government.
The UK Border Agency’s Regional Director for the Midlands and East of England, Gail Adams, said: ‘We’re disappointed by Birmingham City Council’s decision to withdraw from the West Midlands Consortium.
‘The Consortium’s existing contract will continue until June next year. UKBA will manage the transition to new accommodation in accordance with the terms of the contract.’
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[craigyj]

LMAO GMB45,
my Wife's a Brummie,been in Notts nearly thirty years and still can't speak Nottingham.Examples-LAARF=LAFF,RIING=GIV/GE US A CALL/RING.They are a friendly bunch though!!
On a more serious note I empathise with your situation-I work in the Health Service and have seen too often the strain that caring for people with your Wife's problems can have on the Carer and the rest of the family.People make statements about scroungers all too easily without a due thought process.I'm sure we all know people who are taking the rise out of the system who know how to bleed it dry-these are the section that need to be targetted not people who basically give up any life of their own to care for a loved one and at the same time saving the already crippled Health Service a wad of cash.
It also means that your Wife is where she should be,in her own home and not looking at magnolia walls in God's waiting room.
Best wishes,
Craig.
Nottingham and Proud.

[smirnoff_rules]

great news ,, about time too

[Meat-Head]

Good the sods NEVER want to pay anything.

Had some 'Taint in the other day, priced the bits, gave a look as if you say we was robbing him! - well we was, but even so

[super jumbe]

I never got anything from our council in my life the only thing I ever got was Bailiffs trying to nock my front door for not paying my council tax backdated when I was out of work and that councillor will not win next term if he is in my constitution mate they faooo liars if you ask me.