Oppose asylum plan, member urges (From Penarth Times)

Oppose asylum plan, member urges

A TOP Vale councillor has branded the Sully hospital asylum plan "stupid" and called on local people to band together to fight it off.

Councillor Clive Williams, Cabinet Member for community care, health and children's services, hit out at the Home Office for putting the building on a short list of possible asylum havens.

He said he had been told nothing of the idea, despite the fact that he would have a key role if it went ahead.

The disused hospital is one of eight places being looked at by the Home Office to house asylum seekers by 2003. It could take up to 750 refugees. The Home Office maintained this week that nothing has changed and all sites are only provisional, but residents are still worried.

Cllr Williams said he was astounded when he found out, adding: "As the cabinet member who will have a direct involvement on behalf of the Vale council, I have not received any form of communication.

"I think the government should concentrate on domestic problems and not try to put the world to rights. Please do not use Wales and especially this unique site as a dumping ground, as a means of diluting your problems from other areas in England.

I urge people, who have the power, to force the government to face the major problems which they were elected to do, and to quash immediately this possible notion of using Sully Hospital in this way."

He believes Sully would be better used for children's services. He added: "There are health risks involved of entrants who are not properly screened. TB, almost extinct in Britain, is now on the increase.

"I feel the idea of using Sully hospital in this manner is ill-conceived and the lack of any consultation does not make me consider otherwise."

He urged people to sign petitions, saying: "Make your voices heard against this stupidity."