Staff working with asylum seekers and refugees in Newcastle have been accused of a “basic lack of enthusiasm”, after a damning investigation.
A recent report by Newcastle City Council found that refugees placed in city hotels during the Covid pandemic were left “vulnerable” and without fresh food or appropriate medical facilities. The inquiry by councillors claimed that the living quarters reminded torture victims of being in prison and rased concerns about a lack of basic Covid protection.
At a meeting of the local authority’s cabinet on Monday night, Labour councillor Teresa Cairns, who led the probe, condemned the “cruel and retraumatising” asylum system in the UK and said it shows “no sympathy for those fleeing war, persecution or destitution”. Paul Frew, the council’s cabinet member responsible for finance, added that the system “does not keep this country safe and does not control immigration”, before going on to criticise the attitude of both the Home Office and its contracted housing provider Mears – whose staff he claimed were more interested in ‘clocking off’ than helping those in their care.
He said: “What is at the heart of it all, I feel, is about culture. In the report you talk a lot about the training that is needed for people who are dealing with asylum seekers day to day. I think there is also a basic lack of enthusiasm in the role in the Home Office, at Migrant Help, and at Mears. It is not just about the training, it is about those people actually wanting to help rather than wanting to just clock off.
“It is a marked contrast with schools, the council, with the voluntary sector who are really enthusiastic and turn up wanting to help people and clearly are interested in making a difference. That is really admirable and we need to see how we can transfer that culture and enthusiasm across.”
The council’s investigation resulted in a series of recommendations including improved staff training, ensuring there is adequate fresh food and that people living in hotels do not miss meals, and providing “proper care” by setting up clinics within the accommodation blocks. The cabinet praised the report on Monday for how thoroughly it had examined the situation, described by one Tyneside charity as “inhumane” last month, and there were calls for its recommendations to be rolled out nationally.
A Home Office spokesperson said Coun Frew’s criticism was “completely baseless” and “seek to undermine the professionalism and commitment Home Office employees and contractors show every day”. A Mears spokesperson added that its staff “will be disappointed to hear their motivation and commitment called into question” and offered to arrange a visit for councillors.
They said: “Mears staff are committed to providing the best possible support to our service users and strive to do this every day, sometimes in difficult circumstances. Our staff are local people, many live here in Newcastle, and they are dedicated to their jobs, working in partnership with staff from the local authority and other agencies.”
Charity Migrant Help said that its staff “are committed and enthusiastic in the guidance and advice that they offer” and that many had themselves been refugees.
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