Westminster Council will vote today on whether it will set out to become a Council of Sanctuary, a designation awarded to institutions that welcome migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees and protect their rights.
The council said: ‘Our vision for a Fairer Westminster must extend to the most vulnerable in the borough, including our refugee, asylum seeking and migrant communities.
‘We have a duty of care towards children, and vulnerable and trafficked adults in our borough.
‘We must continue to go above and beyond business as usual to support migrant communities. The journey to become a Council of Sanctuary will solidify this commitment.’
If the ‘Fairer Westminster’ motion is passed, the council will join the City of Sanctuary’s local authority network. The network can award its members City of Sanctuary designation.
There are 33 members of the City of Sanctuary’s local authority network in total, 11 of which have received the full award.
In London, one member has so far been given Council of Sanctuary designation.
Cllr Adam Hug, leader of Westminster City Council, said: ‘Westminster has a long and proud record of welcoming immigrants, and their contribution over the centuries is a key part of our story. People come here from many parts of the world in often desperate circumstances.
I want them to know Westminster stands ready to help where we can and will stand with them in efforts to ensure that the system becomes more efficient but deals with them fairly. For me, that welcoming spirit is an important part of our vision of a fairer Westminster.’
In the motion, Westminster council also says it will work to ensure that the government provides local authorities with enough resources to properly support refugees and displaced people.
The council vote this evening comes after a demonstration by 40 refugees in Pimlico, Westminster, last week.
They were protesting against Home Office plans to sleep asylum seekers four to a room in hotels. Following the protest, the Home Office backed down on its plans.
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