DORSET Council has renewed its opposition to the Portland barge and will object to any proposal to extend the contract between the Home Office and Portland Port.

Campaigners led a deputation to Dorset Council’s meeting to call for a number of actions – the group lobbying at County Hall, Dorchester, including several asylum seekers from the barge.

Council leader Nick Ireland renewed the council’s cross-party opposition to the barge and promised to visit Portland to speak to those living on the vessel and to local supporters from Stand Up To Racism and the Portland Global Friendship Group.

Their speakers asked the council to continue to oppose the use of the barge, to step up support for barge residents; to use some of the Home Office money to provide facilities which can be used by local people and refugees, and to challenge some of the myths about people living on the barge.

Candy Unwin told councillors that the use of the barge was inhuman and should be shut down, with local people being increasingly left to provide volunteers to support the refugees: “there are gaps we are constantly filling,” she said.

Cllr Ireland said that while the council continued to oppose the barge and would contact the new South Dorset Labour MP Lloyd Hatton to help make its case to the Government, it did also have an obligation to work with the Home Office to ensure the safe operation of the barge and all its residents and to assist with effective integration.

“I would like to meet you and discuss your concerns,” Cllr Ireland told the campaigners to cheers from the public gallery.