The Leader of the Council
introduced the item and advised that the issue would be decided by
him rather than the Cabinet Member for Housing and Health as Kent
Leaders would also send a response. The Leader stated that the
decision no longer needed to be treated as urgent as the deadline
for response to the consultation had been extended until 9 January
2024.
The Leader outlined that the
Council did not have the capacity to accept more immigration as
there were already between 700 to 900 people on the housing
register and nearly 300 in temporary or emergency accommodation.
There was also very little to no capacity in schools or for GPs.
This could not be easily resolved by investing funds as it took
years to build housing or train medical staff.
Questions were raised around
housing capacity and the committee debated the need to help
Maidstone residents and the needs of asylum seekers and those in
desperate situations. Concerns were raised that this consultation
was being used to further the agenda of national government and
that the Council should not provide figures.
RESOLVED to RECOMMEND to the
LEADER of the COUNCIL: That a blank
response to the consultation be approved so as not to be drawn into
the national government’s politics on this issue.
Note: Councillor Hastie arrived
at 6.43 p.m. during consideration of this item.