Following the tragic events and resulting furore in Nuneaton in the past 10 days, local Conservatives have called a special council to act on residents’ concerns.
To ensure that any future criminal trial is not put at risk, councillors will not discuss the specifics of the case. Above all the victim deserves justice and local politicians should not jeopardise this.
However, local Conservatives have called a special council to discuss the wider impacts this event has had on our community, to hold those with responsibility to account and to propose strong action to keep the public safe.
Cllr Kris Wilson, Leader of the Opposition (Whitestone), said:
Following these despicable acts, Nuneaton has now, unfortunately, become the focus of a national story that demonstrates that we need government action to deal with this increasingly untenable situation.
We are calling the special council to do two things.
Firstly, we must have proper scrutiny. Local people need to understand what has happened, and officials from the Home Office, Serco, Warwickshire Police and local councils must be held to account. We want them to come before local councillors for us to ask the challenging questions and scrutinise the systemic failures that have led to this tragedy. Lessons can and must be learned. As the people’s representatives we need to act on behalf of our community to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.
If successful, the first Conservative motion will call a special overview and scrutiny meeting for those responsible to be questioned and held to account for recent events.
The second Conservative motion calls for a policy of zero asylum seekers and illegal migrants being settled in the borough. It proposes that Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council unite on a cross-party basis to campaign for the government to take specific actions to tackle the growing asylum crisis in our community and across the country:
- An immediate review of all asylum seekers presently within Nuneaton and Bedworth to shut down the temporary accommodation units currently in our towns;
- Until the accommodation units are closed, immediate risk assessments are undertaken on all asylum seekers within our Borough;
- Legislation be brought forward to disapply the Human Rights Act 1998 from all asylum claims;
- Detention and deportation of asylum seekers or illegal immigrants who are in our country without lawful excuse;
- An increase in the funding available for the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal in terms of sitting days and judiciary (salaried and fee paid) to determine asylum claims quicker.
Cllr Wilson continued:
We need a strong plan of action to solve this crisis and keep the public safe. These are local problems, but they need national solutions. These proposals are realistic and achievable - if the government have the political will.
Residents in Nuneaton and Bedworth rightly want, and deserve, action. Many people in the community are now frightened and angry. As local elected councillors we want to speak up on their behalf and send a clear message to government that enough is enough.
Cllr Wilson concluded:
I hope that politicians across the spectrum that represent Nuneaton and Bedworth can support this plan to get answers and keep local people safe.
