Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick claimed a decision on whether to stop the use of Pontins as a site for asylum seekers rests with Sefton Council.
The Conservative cabinet minister made the claims in Parliament yesterday, January 6 following questioning from Southport MP Damien Moore. Mr Moore asked for confirmation the Pontins Holiday Park site would not be used to house asylum seekers after the Home Office had approached Sefton Council about using the site.
Mr Jenrick told Mr Moore during the questioning that the Home Office would continue "reviewing a range of options" to house asylum seekers. But he claimed that regarding Ainsdale, Sefton Council hold the keys when it comes to the use of the site.
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Mr Jenrick told Mr Moore: "If Sefton Council does not wish to proceed then that site will not proceed because Sefton Council is the freeholder of the site. [You] should really speak to Sefton Council to get that assurance."
But Sefton Council told the ECHO the authority was still waiting on written confirmation from the Home Office to not pursue the previously proposed plans. The ECHO reported last week that the government had U-turned on the plans to takeover the holiday following "detailed discussions between the Sefton Council chief executive and colleagues from the Home Office".
A spokesperson for the council last week said: "Following detailed discussions between the Sefton Council chief executive and colleagues from the Home Office, we have now been informed that the Home Office no longer wish to pursue plans to house asylum seekers at the Pontins site in Ainsdale. We are awaiting written confirmation of this decision."
And today, February 7, a council spokesperson referred the ECHO to this statement and said there was no update.
Despite this, Mr Moore called on Sefton Council to "publicly state as soon as possible that they are axing the Pontins asylum seekers plan. The Tory MP added: "I have done all I can to oppose these plans in Westminster, and I urge the council to use this clarity I have today achieved in parliament to immediately state that they will not proceed with housing asylum seekers at Pontins.
"I have written to the council to ask that they immediately and publicly confirm their position on this matter, both to the Home Office and to our town. People are understandably worried, and it is not right that the council keep them waiting any longer."
The ECHO previously reported how the proposed plans raised concerns in the Ainsdale area regarding the impact the decision would have on the local economy. A local bar manager said it would be a "massive worry" if Pontins was to close. But others in the village weren't so positive, calling the park "a horrible place" and an "eyesore".
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