Two asylum hotels in Stockport will close before the end of the year, council leader Mark Roberts announced during a more than four-hour council meeting on October 1. The meeting also saw a plea for Metrolink extension progress, concerns about winter bin collections, dog fouling rules, and criticism of language used over parking fees.
Asylum hotels to close
Coun Roberts thanked members of the public, community and faith groups, volunteers, and council officials as he welcomed the closures, saying hotels were not the appropriate place to house asylum seekers.
He said: “What we saw locally was humanity, compassion, and decency”, adding people “offered a welcome at a time when many people that had arrived had come here experiencing fear, loss, and uncertainty”.
Referencing the upcoming closures, he said: “That will be a significant moment for our borough but it should also be a moment to recognise the people who responded, not with indifference or hatred in their hearts but with kindness and with love.”
Labour councillor Jon Byrne later endorsed the leader’s message, thanking people who had moved to the borough and become “valuable members of our community”. He said: “Whether they stayed here or moved on, Stockport is the richer for it.”
Metrolink extension plea
Coun Roberts issued a plea to Greater Manchester Mayor Bev Craig and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to push forward with extending the Metrolink tram network into Stockport and beyond. He said the project was “firmly on its way” with an update “to follow in the coming months”.
He added: “Let’s be honest in this chamber that warm words or table thumping about future extensions are not enough so I call from here to the newly elected Greater Manchester Mayor to work with me as leader of the council to put rocket boosters under our ambition here.”
He said the borough needed a “fair connection to the Bee Network now”, adding the regional authority needed “to work with us and together with us with much greater urgency”. He said: “This is not about special pleading, it’s about fairness.”
Investment has been made in Stockport through the 192 night bus, the new interchange in the town centre, and a new service to Woodford Garden Village. TfGM is also set to start integrating local rail services into the Bee Network.
A TfGM spokesperson said: “The Bee Network is transforming travel across Greater Manchester, with plans to grow and improve further as we deliver a transport system fit for a global city-region, connecting every community like never before.”
“Stockport is a vital part of this, which is why we’re continuing to invest in better public transport and active travel, and we are working closely with the council to extend Metrolink and bring trams to the town centre.”
Bin collection concerns
Labour group leader Rachel Wise raised issues from the summer when hundreds of bins were left uncollected following a change in enforcement policy around bin lids. The Liberal Democrat administration has decided to increase blue paper recycling collections from December.
While welcoming the return to blue bin collections every two weeks, she asked for “reassurance as to what steps the council has taken to ensure there will not be further bin chaos in the winter”.
Coun Roberts acknowledged “challenges” over the summer but said he was proud of his administration’s quick and open response. He thanked bin crews for working through the summer, including during heat waves.
He said: “We listen to our residents, we hear where those concerns are and we practically work through the challenge which is put in front of us.”
“We don’t got onto social media and mock the bin crews for their health and safety requirements as some councillors in this room did. We go away, look at what is deliverable, and thankfully we were able to find a way where we could reintroduce fortnightly collections of blue bins.”
Dog fouling rules expired
Edgeley Community Association councillor Matt Wynne said he had recently discovered rules banning dogs from playgrounds and restricting them in areas like cemeteries had expired. Public engagement had been carried out over whether to extend them, but he said “nothing has happened since”.
He added: “We’ve looked like idiots asking for PSPO [public spaces protection order] signage that doesn’t exist anymore. How do you allow this to happen?”
Coun Dan Oliver said public engagement had been carried out but there had not been enough evidence to extend the rules. He said: “The evidence you tell us is there is not the reality we see.”
Coun Wynne’s issue was supported by other opposition councillors, who said: “It is something that does blight our communities. I think it’s a real issue.”
Parking language criticised
Asked about the council’s introduction of parking charges to 18 previously-free spots earlier this year, cabinet member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services Grace Baynham said: “We know it has caused issues because some people would rather park on the street than pay a nominal amount for parking.”
Coun Paul Wright said he had warned that would happen, adding: “It’s almost like we had knowledge of the area we represented.” Coun Baynham said the scheme was bringing in the money expected and they would not be reversing the move.
Later, Coun Byrne criticised some of Coun Baynham’s comments, saying: “I do appreciate that 50p for an hour when you’re picking up your flat white might seem trivial.”
He said many people parked in the car parks because they were near their homes, adding: “I do think we should just consider the language we use because for some people this has been a significant change to their lives.”
