PLANS to build accommodationfor up to 500 asylum seekers near Andover has sparked a row among the town’s political leaders.

The Home Office has submitted plans to build a temporary accommodation block on Ministry of Defence land in Barton Stacey.

The leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Cllr Phil North, expressed his anger at the news by launching a joint petition with MP Caroline Nokes to protest against the proposals.

The campaign, which already has 2,400 signatures, raises concerns about the safety of the asylum seekers and concerns about the impact on the local community.

Cllr North and Mrs Nokes have been accused of being “populist” and not taking onboard responsibility to help “desperate refugees who have escaped horrific regimes and wars”.

Cllr Celia Dowden, of Test Valley Borough Council’s Liberal Democrats. said: “We have a duty to protect our environment, residents’ interests and the Asylum Seekers.

“This [the petition] is a populist knee jerk reaction which we cannot support. They should be aware of our legal responsibilities and should be supportive of these desperate refugees who have crossed the world escaping from horrific regimes and wars.”

Also in this week’s paper:

- Working group formed to discuss moving War Memorial

- An interview with Andover's Santa

- Council rejects cashbook after concerns it could be "sued"

- New shops launch in Andover

- The latest from the courts

- Parents donate thousands of items of clothing to African schools

- Andover Covid survivor one of the top plasma donators to help others

- Andover Town knocked out of cup

- Two pages of YOUR letters

- And much, much more

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