'Kept in the dark' Furious Highland councillors slam Home Office over asylum seeker barracks plan

Cameron Barracks was announced last month as one of two sites which will be repurposed as temporary housing while applications are processed.

The Home Office says this is part of efforts to "close every asylum hotel" and that it is "working closely with local authorities" to do so.

But local officials have raised concerns over how the Department is communicating with them over the proposals.

And they were discussed as a special meeting of the Highland Council was held this afternoon.

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Council leader Raymond Bremner of the SNP said: "There has been no real engagement as far as I'm concerned and trying to get clarification has been a challenging process to say the least. There is still a lot that we don't know. With the exception of the communication on the afternoon of 27th of October...we have yet to receive anything else in writing on this issue. I still await a response to my letter to the Home Secretary...to my mind (that is) simply disrespectful of the role of this council.

"Despite what the Secretary of State for Scotland said yesterday, we were not consulted on the proposals. Consultation suggests a discussion or an exchange of views. That has not happened. We were given 10 working days notice of their intention before it hit the actual press and less than 24 hours in real terms of formal written confirmation.

"I want to know why Cameron Barracks was actually chosen. Whilst we have been told the use of the barracks has worked well elsewhere, these have been in rural locations, not in a residential area within walking distance of the town centre. So why there? What makes a town centre location in the north of Scotland in the middle of winter a viable option? Is it really suitable accommodation? It's surely not the best for those who will be accommodated there either. We have been told that this was for 12 months only. We need this confirmed. I haven't had that confirmed."

Leader of the opposition Alasdair Christie of the Lib Dems said: "I've been involved as a councillor for many years, having over 30 collective years on three authorities, and never have I seen a situation where central government has actually kept an authority in the dark so much.

"This is not something that's been done in co-production or collaboration. This is something that we've been told is happening with little opportunity to actually influence it or offer suggestions."

Other councillors raised concerns about the feasibility of the plan itself even calling for it to be halted by the Home Office.

Councillor Isabel MacKenzie of the Scottish Tories was one of them stating: "The proposal to house asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks is the wrong plan in the wrong place. Cameron Barracks is not on the outskirts of Inverness as we know. It sits within our community, surrounded by homes, schools and families. To suggest otherwise is misleading and irresponsible...there has been no risk assessment, no equality impact assessment...and no safety plan. That's not preparation, it's recklessness.

"Residents have contacted me, not with hostility, but with concern. Parents are worried about their daughters walking to school, to work or to the gym. These fears are real and must not be dismissed. There are also serious concerns about site security. The wooded area behind the barracks allows easy access down to Diriebught Road. Residents have rightly asked, will fencing be reinforced? Will there be proper security measures to prevent unauthorised movement through these paths? These are basic safety questions that remain unanswered."

Councillor Ruraidh Stewart said of the Scottish Tories said: "We are told this will relieve pressure elsewhere, that it will be self contained and that there will be minimum impact. But the evidence we see from other communities in the UK tells a very different story. The truth, members, is it will not be self contained. They will be free to walk the streets of Inverness, living among our families, near our schools, and there will not be minimum impact. In communities elsewhere in the UK, where town centre accommodation settings have been used, we see an increase in police callouts and women have reported feeling less safe."

Others though spoke of the need for compassion and to create a welcoming environment in the Highlands, including Councillor Andrew MacKintosh who said: "This area is used to changes in population. Every couple of years a battalion moves out and a new battalion of 600, 800, maybe up to 1200 people turn up again. No one then is complaining about stress on services, which is considerable. It is wrong to say that the army coming in were all saints...but it's wrong to say that these refugees will be either all Saints or all sinners. They are people. In 300 we're going to get a mixture. But I can assure everybody that it will not be 300 mass murderers and rapists. And I do not give any credence to the suggestion that these asylum seekers will be populated with a group of wrongdoers."

We've asked the Home Office to comment on today's meeting.

A spokesperson has previously said: "We are furious at the level of illegal migrants and asylum hotels.

"This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well underway to move illegal migrants into military bases to ease pressure on communities across the country."

The spokesperson added: "We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across-government so that we can accelerate delivery."