AS THE invasion of Ukraine continues, the leader of Wokingham Borough Council has warned that residents should be ready to play their part in helping out.
He warned that the war will have far-reaching implications for the borough, as it tries to cope with the humanitarian crisis as people flee the European country. There will also be shocks caused by rising prices, and there is also the risk that the situation could escalate into a world war.
Cllr John Halsall said that the blame for the invasion should lie solely with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin and not the Russian people, and his actions could create a million refugees. There are also fears that he won’t stop with Ukraine, but continue on to other countries that were, between the Second World War and 1991, part of the Soviet Union.
At the time of writing, there were no firm proposals for accommodating Ukrainian refugees from the Government, but Cllr Halsall wanted people to be ready.
“Most of the refugees are women and children, and if you spread a million-plus people equally through Europe, Wokingham’s share is about 400 people,” he said. “We’re looking now as a borough at what we would do if we are faced with accommodating 400-500 people.
“They would need housing, schools and support. Fortunately, we’ve got a school empty at the moment, but we might have to commission village halls, churches and public buildings which are not being used very much.”
To help, he said he has appointed specialist teams to look over the practicalities.
“We’ve got to plan for what we can do to accommodate people, and the support we can give.
“We’re talking about helping an extraordinary number of people I imagine,” he continued. “The only thing I don’t know is about the way in which we’re able to accommodate people. It might mean some billeting.”
Cllr Halsall said he had every confidence that Wokingham people would be as helpful as they could.
“I’m sure people will respond positively to the challenge, whatever the challenge is and whenever it comes. I will certainly do as I did during covid, and navigate us through waters which we never anticipated we would ever have to face.”
Cllr Halsall also wanted to ensure that the ordinary Russian members of Wokingham’s communities are protected.
“We’ve got a substantial Russian-speaking community in Wokingham, they are very much part of us. They mustn’t get a backlash, this is Putin’s war, not theirs. It’s not them who’s doing this, it’s Putin. He’s a Mad Hatter and this is a very, very dangerous time.”
He added: “We’re a fantastic borough, with a fantastic community. We have people who respond in a way which is unbelievable.
“The war is not the fault of anybody who is living in the borough, the fault is totally Putin. I ask people in the borough to respect that, and respond to whatever I might be asking of them in the future.
“It is certainly going to be difficult times, even if we are not asked to take on board any refugees.”
This will include, he warned, “huge increases” in energy prices, and Ukraine’s wheat harvests will be affected which will lead to higher food prices.
“Already this war is having an impact on us inadvertently, but people are also responding.
“The amount of direct support has been amazing and we thank everybody for that support. The Ukrainian Centre in Reading is bursting at the seams, and we have the ability to give them some space, which we’re doing.”
In tears, he added: “It’s very difficult not to see your own family (in this situation). It’s stressful and it’s very difficult to talk about it non-emotionally.”
He pledged that the Ukrainian flag would continue to fly from the Shute End offices until the conflict was over.
“We will only take it down if there’s a reason, such as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee,” he said, adding that the current flag is a temporary solution and would be replaced in due course.
The view on refugees was welcomed by Cllr Clive Jones, leader of Wokingham Liberal Democrats. He said that his group was 100% behind this call.
“We have to be very generous to the Ukrainians, we want them to have decent housing, as we want all local people to have decent housing,” he said. “We want to be able to take some refugees, because I don’t think any of us can really put ourselves in the shoes of people who are fleeing Ukraine.
“We have no comprehension of what it is like to be to be displaced and have to move hundreds and thousands of miles away from your homeland, because an aggressor is trying to take over.
“And they must be allowed to play their part in our society. They must be allowed to work, they must be given visas, the same as other European countries are giving refugees from the Ukraine visas. We absolutely have to do the same.”
Cllr Rachel Burgess, leader of the Wokingham Labour group and member for Norreys ward, said that councillors were standing in solidarity with the Ukrainian people at this horrifying time.
“We must, of course, as a Council and as a community be ready to back up our words with actions and help Ukrainian refugees right here in Wokingham,” she said.
“Despite their recent rhetoric, the government is making it much too hard for Ukrainians in desperate need to enter the UK. Our government’s response is shameful in comparison with our European neighbours. Under pressure, the government has now U-turned on its visa scheme for Ukrainian refugees, allowing those with immediate family to remain in the UK for three years rather than the one year previously announced. However the UK’s scheme compares very unfavourably with the EU scheme. The EU is entirely waiving visa rules for all Ukrainians for three years.”
She added: “The government’s lack of humanity is being widely criticised, and with good reason. People fleeing the conflict in Ukraine need urgent help now. Yet Ukrainian refugees in Calais are literally being turned away from getting into the UK. The government should put their words into action and send an emergency Home Office team to Calais immediately to get desperate people through safely and quickly.
“The government’s rhetoric of a ‘generous’ and ‘unprecedented’ refugee package simply does not match reality – so it remains to be seen whether Wokingham will receive any refugees at all.”
