THE leader of City of York Council has cited “offensive and racist” responses to council plans as one of the reasons the authority will support proposals to welcome people fleeing persecution overseas.

At a meeting of the council’s cabinet on Tuesday, Coun James Alexander revealed he and other councillors had received “some very unsavoury emails” following the announcement the authority would look into City of Sanctuary status for York.

The status would see York join 17 areas around the UK, including Sheffield, Swansea and Bristol, as cities which provide safety for people whose lives are in danger in their home countries, and encourage them to contribute their skills to the local community.

Coun Alexander said that he had received correspondence from one individual in which he referred to refugees in a number of emails as “bombers, criminals, cowards, rabble, thieves, rapists and scum”.

Coun Alexander said: “He demanded a £10,000 referendum on the City of Sanctuary proposal and blamed refugees for sewage problems and issues with York’s congestion. I responded that his views were offensive and racist.”

The Rev Paul Wordsworth, who is supporting the scheme, told the cabinet: “We hope that as the city celebrates 800 years of its city charter, we will be awarded with this status”.