To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 5 April 2022 (C.31 - C.34), attached.

The decision:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 April 2022 (C.31 - C.34), previously circulated, be signed as a correct record.

The Chairman announced that £490 had been raised in support of the Chairman’s Charity, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, during his Term of Office.  Linda Stead, the Regional Fundraising Manager was in attendance and thanked the Chairman and the Council for their support.

The Leader a statement to the Council as follows:-

“As Leader of this council I am in no doubt about how much worry and concern there is in the local community and the surrounding areas about the Government’s proposal for a centre for asylum seekers in Linton-on-Ouse, and I want to take this opportunity to offer some reassurance and an update.

I know people are understandably concerned and want answers as quickly as possible and I want to be clear that we are working to get these answers as quickly as we possibly can, given the legal process which is underway.

Under delegated authority the Chief Executive for Hambleton District Council has appointed a legal team to provide legal advice and to identify a QC.  At this point in time, we are awaiting this urgent legal advice, and we anticipate this imminently.

HDC Officers and Members are in constant and robust dialogue with the Home Office and a letter has been sent and acknowledged.  There was also a meeting last Thursday where the issues and concerns were discussed.  We anticipate a response to this letter and subsequent meeting, from the Home Office this week.

At a meeting late this morning, we, along with the PFCC and local MP have been told by the Home Office that they intend for 60 people to arrive at the centre at the end of this month.  We have in the strongest possible terms asked that the Home Office pause this proposal immediately to allow for consultation to be carried out and are awaiting their response to this ask.

Officers and Members continue to take part in multi-agency meetings and support and work closely with the local community and surrounding areas.

Although frustrating and concerning It’s very important that anything we do now doesn’t prejudice the outcome of the legal process.

We fully appreciate the worries and frustrations around this and want to reiterate that we are taking every action we can as quickly as the legal process allows.  Please be assured we are pushing for the legal advice and subsequent ongoing process to get underway and will continue to be in dialogue with the Home Office.

We are committed to keeping everyone up to date and to ensuring our updates are transparent and timely as we go through this process.”