Hertfordshire Council moves towards sanctuary status
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 05:02 · Archive
Hertfordshire County Council has moved towards Council of Sanctuary status, with councillors sharing family refugee stories.
Hertfordshire County Council has formally requested steps towards 'Council of Sanctuary' status and agreed to join the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network following a cabinet meeting on 14 October.
Two councillors shared personal accounts of their families' experiences. Cllr Paul Zukowskyj described how his father moved to England after experiencing war, occupation, slave labour and the Holocaust in Poland. Cllr Hillary Skoczylas recounted how her Jewish grandmother escaped her German homeland in the run-up to the Second World War.
The decision faced opposition: more than 3,800 Hertfordshire residents signed a petition calling for a referendum on the issue, and Broxbourne Conservative MP Lewis Cocking described the move as a 'grandstanding gesture'. However, Cllr Ajanta Hilton, HCC's executive member for public health and community safety, said almost all opposition had been based on misinformation. She argued the status would demonstrate commitment to human rights and recognition of the positive contributions refugees and asylum seekers make.
How it is being reported
- Council duo share family stories amid Council of Sanctuary status discussionHertfordshire County Council moves towards Council of Sanctuary status as councillors share family refugee stories and agree to join City of Sanctuary network.Herts Advertiser · 16 Oct, 04:01
- Council duo share family stories amid Council of Sanctuary status discussionHertfordshire County Council moves towards Council of Sanctuary status as councillors share family refugee stories and agree to join City of Sanctuary network.The Comet · 16 Oct, 04:01
In this story: Hertfordshire County Council · Paul Zukowskyj · Hillary Skoczylas · Ajanta Hilton · Lewis Cocking · City of Sanctuary · Hertfordshire
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