Vale of Glamorgan looks to join City of Sanctuary UK

At a full council meeting on April 29, VOG councillors voted 38 to 13 in favour of joining the City of Sanctuary organisation.

However, opponents accuse the organisation of risky open border policies that nullify national security initiatives.

‘Scaremongering’

It’s clearly a motion close to the leader’s heart as leader Cllr Lis Burnett pulled no punches, accusing opponents of scaremongering in opposition to the City Sanctuary motion.

In an extraordinary exchange between Labour’s Burnett and Conservative leader Cllr George Carroll, the pair very much went on the attack, including over the beleaguered Eagleswell site in Llantwit Major, proposed to be a migrant camp, while many residents are desperate for it to be turned into a much-needed health centre.

Cllr Carroll said: “In Llantwit Major recently residents' legitimate grievances about the Eagelswell school site were used by an extreme outside organisation to sow division.

"Let’s be clear, residents are right to express frustration that a site considered for a much-needed medical centre is not being used for that purpose.”

But Cllr Burnett said she could not understand why Cllr Carrol had said what he said.

Cllr Burnett replied: “I continue to have conversations with the health board about their strategic plans for the Western Vale.

“I really do not know where that has come from. Using a site that has no defined plans for temporary accommodation that can be moved elsewhere once there is a plan. I really do not know how that comment can be made if it is not just for more scaremongering.”

In March, far right protesters and residents clashed in Llantwit Major. Picture: Gareth Llewelyn Evans

What is the City of Sanctuary?

City of Sanctuary is a charity supporting a network of groups across the UK working to build a culture of hospitality within their communities, mainly looking at the inclusion of asylum seekers and refugees.

City of Sanctuary began in Sheffield in 2005. In 2007, with the support of the city council and over 70 local community organisations, Sheffield became the UK’s first ‘City of Sanctuary’

With the success of Sheffield, the movement spread to Leeds, Hull and Swansea starting their own groups to try welcome refugees and asylum seekers living there.

As the movement grew, City of Sanctuary became a registered charity.

By early 2015 there were 30 groups across the UK and Ireland, and the organisation had built a “Sanctuary Alliance”, with organisations such as Refugee Council, British Red Cross, and Refugee Action.

'Virtue signalling exercise'

In a sometimes brutal debate at full council on April 24, no punches were pulled as those opposed to the motion said the council was “virtue signalling”.

Cllr Stephen Haines, of St Athans, said the council was giving up its power in joining the sanctuary.

“This is not about being nice to people,” said Cllr Haynes, “it’s about joining a group that has a political charter, therefore the rights of this council are being handed over to a third party.”

Conservative leader on the council, Cllr Carrol, was even more scathing, saying this was an issue of national security.

“The City of Sanctuary has promoted a number of extreme policies I cannot support,” said Cllr Carrol.

“For example, they have publicly opposed sensible and proportionate measures to secure our borders vital for our national security and something the people of the Vale rightly demand.”

The controversial Patriotic Alternative were at the scene. Picture: Gareth Llewelyn Evans

Crazy policies calling for open borders

After the meeting the Vale Conservative Group released a statement saying the council had effectively created open borders policy in the county.

The statement went: “The Labour-run Vale of Glamorgan Council has voted to join a controversial organisation whose policies in effect call for open borders.

“The highly political City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network opposes both the Nationality and Borders Bill and Illegal Migration Bill, which include measures to stop the abuse of UK asylum laws.

“The Network’s charter calls for people to be able to settle in the UK “no matter how they came here”.

“Prime minister Rishi Sunak recently announced a crackdown on illegal immigration. The UK Government also operates three major refugee resettlement schemes, and also a variety of other immigration routes for specific groups such as Ukrainians, Afghans and Hong Kongers which have welcomed significant numbers of people.”

Cannot pick and choose who you help

Cllr Burnett, along with the majority of the council, were in fierce support of the motion to join City of Sanctuary, with the leader saying you cannot pick and choose who you help.

“This is something that is important for us as a council,” said Cllr Burnett. “It says what our values and principles are and what we are working towards.

“You cannot pick and choose which refugees you want to support. You cannot say this refugee is nice this refugee is not nice. If they are refugees they are welcome and worthy of our support.”