Lib Dem Leader ‘Very Aware’ of Guildford Residents’ Concerns For Refugees

Published on: 14 Sep, 2015
Updated on: 18 Sep, 2015

Syrian Refugees – more than four million are reported to have fled from the war in their country.

The leader of Guildford’s Lib Dem group at Guildford Borough Council (GBC) made a statement today (September 14) saying that her party was: “…very aware of the great concern among residents about the plight of the large numbers of refugees across Europe”.

The statement from Cllr Caroline Reeves (Friary & St Nicolas) continued: “Many residents have asked what we are proposing to do to help.

“We need to have a way of safeguarding all those who are involved, those offering help as well as those accepting it, while at the same time remembering that we also have our own lengthy list of those in housing need as well as an increasing number of desperate, homeless people here in the borough.

Cllr Caroline Reeves

“There has already been a hugely successful call for donations of goods to send out to Calais via CalAid. So much was donated that there will be further runs to the London depot to send goods out to Calais and other places where there are people in need across Europe.

“We will be working with Guildford Borough Council to set up the best solutions to help as many people as possible, working with all members of the community. Please contact us via Office@guildfordlibdems.org or caroline.reeves@guildford.gov.uk”

Cllr Reeves’ statement comes in the wake of a press release from GBC last week reporting that the leader of the council Stephen Mansbridge (Con, Ash South & Tongham) had written to the prime minister, offering help for Syrian refugees. The prime minister had announced that the UK would be taking 20,000 Syrian refugees from camps in countries neighbouring Syria, over the next five years.

More than four million Syrians are reported to have fled the war.

On Sunday the Daily Mirror reported that far right groups were planning to attack Syrians given refuge here while the Daily Express, claiming “exclusive research”, has today reported that the government plans to settle most of the Syrian refugees in the north of England with the South East perhaps being allocated as few as 333.