Highland Council raises ‘community cohesion’ concerns over asylum plans

Highland Council has raised concerns over “community cohesion” after it was announced around 300 male asylum seekers will be sent to a military barracks in Inverness.

Cameron Barracks was announced as one of two sites to be repurposed to temporarily house asylum seekers while their applications are processed on Tuesday.

But the local authority has taken issue with the plans after a series of protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers across Scotland.

In a joint statement from council convener Bill Lobban, leader Raymond Bremner and opposition leader Alasdair Christie, the trio said: “Our main concern is the impact this proposal will have on community cohesion given the scale of the proposals as they currently stand.

“Inverness is a relatively small community but the potential impact locally and across the wider Highlands appears not to have been taken into consideration by the UK Government.”

A special meeting of the council has been called for next Thursday to discuss the issue.

According to the statement, notification came on Monday that the announcement of the plan was imminent and that those housed there would be “non-detained”, meaning they were free to leave the site should they wish.

The Scottish Government is also seeking “clarity” on a number of issues regarding the placement of the asylum seekers, according to a spokesman for the First Minister on Tuesday, while there are also concerns about the suitability of the site.

He told journalists the Government had been made aware of the general idea to house people at the barracks, but a final decision had not been communicated before the announcement was made.

“We are obviously very keen to understand the impact as well,” he said.

“Refugees are welcome in Scotland, we want Scotland to be a place of sanctuary for people.

“But on very important matters like this, work needs to be done collaboratively – it has done often in the past and should be done again.

“But we need more detail from the UK Government.”

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The Home Office is responsible for the provision of all asylum accommodation and we are aware that they are considering accommodating people seeking asylum in Cameron Barracks.

“We have raised our concerns about the suitability of the site with them and have urged them to engage closely with Highland Council and other service providers.”

Local Liberal Democrat MP Angus MacDonald said the site was “not an appropriate location to house a large number of migrants”.

He added: “Cameron Barracks is surrounded by housing and only a 10-minute walk to the High Street, it is secured only by a modest fence. Will security still be maintained by the army?

“There is a risk that this causes major upheaval in the city centre while only housing a tiny fraction of the numbers awaiting processing.”

Mr MacDonald urged the Government to fix the “root of the problem by speeding up asylum decisions”.

Local MSP Fergus Ewing said in a statement he has had “numerous messages” of “deep concern” from constituents since the news broke.

He said: “Many constituents have told me they are particularly worried about the proposed accommodation of several hundred men in such a central location, close to residential areas.

“They are especially concerned for safety of women and girls. These concerns are about safety and community capacity — not prejudice — and they must be taken seriously.”

Mr Ewing added: “I will be raising this issue directly with the First Minister and seeking a clear statement from the Scottish Government on whether they were consulted and what position they will take.

“I will also be urging the Scottish Government to oppose this proposal and to press the UK Government to reconsider what is, in my view, a wholly inappropriate plan for Cameron Barracks.”

Scottish Tory Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain said the plans were a “gimmick”.

He said: “Keir Starmer promised to smash the gangs but has come up with no credible plan to stop illegal immigrants entering the UK.

“This latest back-of-a-fag-packet idea to house asylum seekers in Cameron Barracks will alarm people in Inverness.

“On top of the security concerns, this could ultimately place a huge burden on local services, especially housing.

“The plan, which nobody locally has been consulted on, is inappropriate and will have huge implications on the emergency services, and especially our health services, which are already creaking under the strain of providing care to Highlanders.”