FAITH groups and our councillors wish to help Syrians.

I am not sure how unless it is loaves and fishes time.

I asked via Freedom of Information how many people would be on the waiting list for a council home (1,585 York people are on the council waiting list).

The council owns 7,750 properties — only 51 are currently available.

City of York Council has 23 one-beds and 11 two-beds which are vacant, also 33 vacant which have been vacant for more than two weeks.

I ask the question: why are these properties vacant when the council have 1,585 on the waiting list?

And how would the council help any immigrants coming to our city? Will it be York citizens first or last for a home or will immigrants be given a home?

I am not aware if faith groups have properties available.

If they do, why are they not available to York people, reducing the council waiting list? These people come first.

It’s all fine that 35 people decide York’s future and they show a commitment that York wants to help, but it’s only their opinion, not possibly York citizens’ opinion.

As usual, the few rule while we must do as they say.

This is not democracy in action.

David Wardell, Malton Road, York

 

THE escalating immigration crisis is both alarming and distressing.

It is surely the wish of every human being to want to live in the country of their birth among their own kind, and freedom to practise their own cultures.

In essence, immigrants are here to survive by whatever means they can and, as visitors, we should treat them well.

In the long haul, if the problems are not resolved to allow them to return to their homeland, there could be an explosion of minds and bodies unless there is a sensitive adjustment on all sides.

There are thousands of British people unable to secure permanent employment, living in poor quality homes and in most cases having to accept handouts. Grandchildren are born and bred here who haven’t a hope of ever owning an affordable home of their own.

If the heads of government of those troublesome countries are responsible for the mass exodus why aren’t world leaders looking further than trying to take responsibility for all those unfortunates.

We would all like to live peaceably and prosper, but ours is a small island compared to many around the globe.

If this overwhelming crisis is not stemmed we could all wake up one morning with our feet in the water.

Barbara Woodley, Fulford, York

 

IT has not taken long for the true colours of Rachael Maskell to come shining through.

The left wing Labour MP who was parachuted into the York seat does not give a hoot about the problems already facing the present population of this city.

She has obviously never had to sit for up to eight hours in York Hospital’s A&E department with an injured child or an elderly parent who suffered a gashed head after falling, and this was under a 13-year period of Labour rule.

She has obviously never had to wait three weeks to get to see her own doctor about a non-life threatening issue, and wait until she tries to get children into the school of her choice.

She should not have a problem getting around in this gridlocked city, completely self-made by Labour councils over the years, as she will spend most of her time back down south with her mate Jeremy Corbyn.

The housing crisis which affects all Britain will not be a issue to her as she will be staying in taxpayer-funded accommodation.

These are just some of the issues that face normal people every day, yet Ms Maskell wants to fill York up with migrants to saturation point.

Bob Waite, Windmill Rise Holgate, York