MP and Council set for talks over plans to house asylum seekers at Pontins

Southport MP Damien Moore and Sefton Council Chief Executive Dwayne Johnson are set for tense talks this afternoon, after the Council received Home Office representations to house asylum seekers in the area, with Pontins identified as a potential site.

Both Damien Moore and Sefton Council are opposed to plans to house asylum seekers at the site.

OTS News understands that the Home Office originally suggested Pontins in 2022 and that both Mr Moore and senior leadership of Sefton Council share a number of similar concerns over the proposal, including access to social care and security of the site.

No information on the number of asylum seekers was made available to OTS News. The Home Office has been contacted for comment.

In a statement Damien Moore said: “I am aware of discussions that have been taking place between Sefton Council and the Home Office in relation to housing asylum seekers in Pontins.

“As I have said before, it isn’t at all appropriate to house asylum seekers in Southport when other options are yet to be fully explored, and when there will be an enormous impact on everything from the provision of local services to our town’s economy.

“[On Wednesday], I again raised my very strong objections with top Government officials, and I have written to Sefton Council to make clear my very strong opposition to any plan to house asylum seekers in Pontins.

“I will have further meetings with the Council and with the Government soon to continue to do all I can to fight any ill-thought-out plan to inappropriately house asylum seekers in Pontins, or indeed in Southport at all.”

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: “We can confirm that the Home Office have contacted us about the site and the Council and partner agencies have asked for clarification on a number of substantive matters and we will be considering their responses in due course, but we remain very concerned by the Home Office proposals.

“We are aware that the MP has discussed this with the Immigration Minister some time ago, and the Council Chief Executive will be meeting with Damien Moore MP tomorrow (Friday). However, given that the Council and the MP are of similar views that this plan is not right for this location, and at this juncture, it is disappointing that the MP has not agreed to extend the meeting invitation to the Leader of the Council.”