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Councils respond to EU migrants

Migrants from new members of the EU - notably Poland - have settled in nearly every council across the country. But although their impact on the national economy is thought to have been generally positive, the repercussions on local councils have been more mixed. In addition to language difficulties, the workers are often vulnerable to exploitation in their employment and housing, and the presence of multi-occupancy households can create tensions with existing communities. Robert Bullard reports on how councils have responded to the challenge. (For further examples and advice see the IDeA’s good practice guide, ‘New European migration.’)

Leading from the top

Good communication and accurate information have been the priorities in West Wiltshire. “We do not have large numbers of migrants,” says community development officer, Kathy James, “but there were myths circulating that made us realise we should do something.” EU migrants were said to, for example, carry knives and leave a lot of rubbish outside their houses; and crime was thought to be increasing.

In response, the chief executive and council leader decided to hold a Question Time with local agencies, so that councillors could get the true facts. At the seminar, the police countered the myth about crime increasing, and multi-occupancy households were realised to be the cause of the extra rubbish, to whom extra bins are now provided. Local employers, meanwhile, said migrants were a benefit, because of their good work ethic.

A multi-agency Migrant Workers’ Forum has now been set up to tackle any inaccurate and negative media coverage - some of the stories were true, admits James, but they are just what young people do - and the council has provided training on migrant worker legislation to its revenue and benefits, housing and environmental health teams. And each council service now has a dedicated officer for dealing with migrant worker issues, of which James is the overall co-ordinator. “It saves time and information, and creates goodwill in the community,” she says.

A warm welcome

The proximity of Stansted Airport has attracted large numbers of EU migrants to settle in Bishop’s Stortford, East Hertfordshire, where the town and district council have formed a close partnership.

In 2005, several open days (with interpreters) were held to gauge the workers’ needs, where advice was offered on issues such as housing, council tax and benefits. And after a successful 10-week trial, a Polish-speaking liaison officer, based at the district council’s reception and trained by the local CAB, has been employed four days a week.

“We see it as a two way process, benefiting migrants and the wider community” says Cllr Linda Haysey, the district council’s executive member for Community Development, Leisure and Culture. “New arrivals learn what benefits they are entitled to, but also their responsibilities as residents.”

To welcome the new migrants into the community further, the liaison officer organised a Christmas Concert with Polish carols, and, on Father’s Day, a bonfire with Polish food – both events were open to the wider community. And now the good practice is being copied; following a countywide conference, two neighbouring councils, Braintree and Uttlesford, are employing Polish-speaking liaison officers as well.

Adapting mainstream services

Catering for non-English speakers is nothing new for Wrexham Borough Council, in Wales, where most public documents are also printed in Welsh. “It’s in our thinking not to make assumptions about people’s first language, and to respect different values and cultures,” says Clare Field, the council’s prevention and inclusion officer.

One of the council’s priorities for its migrant workers has been education. “They don’t know the system,” says Field. “So before their children start school we send a social worker to visit the parents - so that they feel welcome.” The social worker explains the school terms, the benefits available (for meal and uniforms), and the importance of school attendance. “We also encourage the parents to visit the school – if they value it the children will,” says Field.

The council also does an assessment of each child before they start, with particular care taken of those moving from primary to secondary education, to prevent truancy or other ‘fallout.’ Any vulnerable children are identified in advance, that the Youth Service support during the preceding holidays and during their first term. “It has worked particularly well, says Field. “They don’t have the language or social networks to cope.”

Building community cohesion

The influx of large numbers of EU migrants has generated tensions among several communities in Peterborough, says Leonie McCarthy, project manager at the city’s one-stop-shop information and advice service. (The project was origianlly set up for asylum seekers and refugees but now serves EU migrant workers as well.)

For McCarthy, one of the ways of coping has been to encourage each nationality to set up its own community group, of which there are now around 20. “We draw on the groups for generating positive press coverage,” she explains, “like when one community told us they were raising money for the UK’s flood victims, and another pointed out they were addressing one of the city’s skill shortages.“ And after the killing of a local Polish man, the Polish group provided a forum for stressing the incident was not targeted at the migrant community.

Also important has been the council’s use of neighbourhood mediation. Many private landlords take in large numbers of migrants, but do not explain to them unwritten rules of behaviour - about parking, litter and noise. So native-speaking community facilitators are employed to mediate with aggrieved neighbours, and to increase cultural understanding by both sides. “It’s not easy,” emphasises McCarthy. “There is a lot of work still to be done.”

Responding after a crisis

Lancashire County Council got involved with its migrant community after 200 Polish workers, who had been brought to the UK with promises of 12 months employment in the area, had their contracts terminated after 13 weeks.

“Eighteen of them turned up at the local MP’s office, asking for help,” says Councillor Doreen Pollitt, the council’s deputy leader. “They lost their housing, which came with their jobs, they did not speak much English, and they were not yet eligible for benefits - so what were they going to do?”

“The response from local agencies was excellent,” says Pollitt, whose council brought together a multi-agency partnership. The local college delivered extra English classes, a housing association found 20 private sector houses for the workers to lease, and, with the help of Job Centre Plus, 70% of the workers found new jobs within five months. The Roman Catholic Church also played a role, providing advice and information, and allaying workers’ concerns.

As a result of the crisis, local agencies have become more aware of the issues facing new migrants, and these are now regularly monitored through a self-help group, called Parasol (Polish for ‘umbrella’), that the workers set-up themselves.


Find out more

East Hertfordshire District Council
Valdis Belinis, Community Planning and Partnership Manager. Tel: 01279 655261
valdis.belinis@eastherts.gov.uk

Lancashire County Council
Communications Officer, Stephen Axon. Tel: 01772 533194
stephen.axon@css.lancs.gov.uk

Peterborough City Council
Leonie McCarthy, Project Manager, New Link. Tel: 01733 742801
leonie.mccarthy@peterborough.gov.uk

West Wiltshire District Council
Kathy James, Community Development Officer. Tel: 01225 776655 (x 515) kjames@westwiltshire.gov.uk

Wrexham County Borough Council
Clare Field, Chief Prevention and Inclusion Officer. Tel:01978 297451 clare.field@wrexham.gov.uk

© Robert Bullard. Not for reproduction without prior permission
 

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