A political row has erupted at Manchester council over a £6m contract to house unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC), with Reform UK challenging the decision.
Contract Details
The Labour-led council approved a five-year contract worth £1.2m annually to book 55 flats in supported living accommodation for UASC aged 16 and older, as well as care leavers with former UASC status. The council has a legal duty to accommodate all looked-after children, and the contract is subsidised by a government grant.
Reform UK's Challenge
The seven Reform UK councillors in Manchester 'called in' the decision for further debate, citing concerns over fairness. Councillor Sian Astley, leader of the Reform UK group, stated: 'For a council with over 20,000 households on the housing register to spend £1.2m per annum on specialist homes for unvetted, undocumented asylum-seeking men deserves scrutiny.' She argued that the Children Act 1989 was intended to support British care-leaver children, not to prioritise asylum seekers.
Astley added: 'The British public are sick of being kept at the back of the queue by people who've been in this country for five minutes.'
Council's Response
A council spokesperson confirmed the call-in was valid and will be discussed at the next children and young people scrutiny committee in July. Deputy leader Councillor Tracey Rawlins defended the decision, saying: 'Reform simply don't understand how local government works. They confuse supported accommodation for vulnerable care leavers with standard social housing to score cheap political points.'
Rawlins emphasised Labour's record on reducing the housing register and delivering affordable housing, stating: 'While Reform manufactures division, Labour does the actual work.'
