Thanet

Council Leader questions the plans for the Manston migrant center.

7 months ago

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The Leader of Thanet District Council, Cllr Rick Everitt, has called for the Home Office to be open with the public over its plans for the migrant processing centre at Manston. Cllr Everitt wrote to then immigration minister Robert Jenrick MP about this matter on Monday 20 November 2023. The letter was prompted by the information learned through Kent County Council that the government is planning to build a secure migrant removal centre on the Manston site. The plans include accommodation for 360 people at the outset, later to rise to 700. The letter follows a meeting with Home Office officials, Cllr Everitt and council officers in September 2023. At the meeting officials had been very clear there were no plans to expand or vary the current use of the former Ministry of Defence site as a centre for processing new arrivals, and pledged to report back if that changed. There has been no subsequent communication from the Home Office to the council leadership on the matter. Cllr Everitt said: “Thanet District Council is the local planning authority and while we recognise that the government would use its own powers to grant itself consent, we have serious concerns about the suitability of this site for the purpose now being proposed. “These include issues of historic land contamination, the potential for noise and light pollution, traffic impacts, and the spread of infectious diseases. Such a facility is also likely to be controversial and may become a focus for public demonstrations and political extremists. “While we continue to liaise with both the county council and local MP Sir Roger Gale, it is in my view discourteous to this council and disrespectful to the people of Thanet that we have waited for so long to receive a direct response from the Home Office regarding these plans. “For that reason we are disclosing what we do know to all members of the council and the wider public by publishing my letter to Robert Jenrick. Thanet has a right to be heard on this matter and we will see that it is.” Enc: Letter from Cllr Everitt to Robert Jenrick MP (20 November 2023). Update – Tuesday 19 December 2023 The council has now received a response to its letter dated 20 November 2023, to Robert Jenrick MP, then Minister of State for Immigration, regarding the Migrant Centre at Manston. In the letter, Leader of the Council, Cllr Rick Everitt, urged the government to keep the council informed of proposals for the site, and to provide opportunities to comment on implications for the local area. The response, from Michael Tomlinson KC MP, Minister for Illegal Migration, outlines a commitment to keep Thanet District Council and Kent County Council informed through regular planned meetings. The council will also be invited to contribute to government considerations regarding the site. The letter does not address any specific matters relating to the proposed plans.

The Home Office should be transparent with the public about its plans for the migrant processing center in Manston, according to Cllr Rick Everitt, the leader of Thanet District Council.

On Monday, November 20, 2023, Cllr. Everitt wrote to the then-immigration minister Robert Jenrick, MP, about this issue. The information discovered through Kent County Council that the government intends to construct a safe migrant removal center on the Manston site served as the impetus for the letter. The initial capacity for 360 people is included in the plans, which will later increase to 700.

The letter comes after a meeting in September 2023 with Home Office representatives, Cllr. Everitt, and council members. Officials at the meeting made it abundantly clear that there were no plans to alter or expand the current use of the former Ministry of Defense site as a processing facility for newcomers and promised to update them. &nbsp,

The Home Office has not since communicated with the council leadership about the situation. &nbsp,

Although we acknowledge that the government would use its own powers to grant itself consent, we have serious concerns about the suitability of this site for the purpose currently being proposed, according to Cllr Everitt.

These include problems with contaminated historic land, the potential for light and noise pollution, traffic effects, and the spread of infectious diseases. A facility like this is also likely to generate controversy and serve as a focal point for political extremists and public protests.

It is, in my opinion, disrespectful to the people of Thanet and discourteous to this council that we have waited so long to receive a direct response from the Home Office regarding these plans, even though we continue to communicate with both the county council and local MP Sir Roger Gale. &nbsp,

By making my letter to Robert Jenrick public, we are revealing what we do know to all council members as well as the general public. We will see that Thanet has a right to be heard on this issue. The phrase” &nbsp, & npsf,

Enc: Letter dated November 20, 2023, from Cllr. Everitt to Robert Jenrick,MP.

Update: December 19, 2023, Tuesday

The council has now received a response to its letter from Robert Jenrick, MP, then Minister of State for Immigration, regarding the Migrant Center in Manston, dated November 20, 2023.

The council’s leader, Cllr Rick Everitt, urged the government to inform the council of site proposals and to give them the chance to weigh in on local implications in the letter.

In his response, Michael Tomlinson, KCMP, Minister for Illegal Migration, pledged to inform Kent County Council and Thanet District Council at regular scheduled meetings. The council will also be asked to offer its input on site-related government decisions. There are no specific issues with the proposed plans that are addressed in the letter.