Plans to pursue Council of Sanctuary status for Hertfordshire will not be reconsidered following special meeting

The council’s Liberal Democrat cabinet agreed that Hertfordshire County Council should join the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network last month.

At the same time they agreed that officials should “take steps towards recognition as a Council of Sanctuary”.

However, that decision was paused after a group of councillors - led by Cllr Saul Jacob (Reform, Borehamwood South) - called in the decision for further scrutiny.

They raised concerns that included the financial implications of the decision, procedural deficiencies and insufficient public consultation.

On Tuesday (November 3) those concerns were considered by a specially convened meeting of the council’s overview and scrutiny committee.

But following a 90-minute debate at the meeting, the majority of councillors found ‘no objection to the called-in decision being implemented’.

That means the original decision of the cabinet can now be implemented without any further debate or consideration.

During the debate, Cllr Jacob had argued that there were “at least four major failings” in the decision taken by the council’s cabinet.

He had highlighted “a repeated legal error regarding refugee funding rights and public fund entitlements”.

He had said there was “an unsubstantiated timeline regarding hotel closures and local asylum numbers, and that there would be “an unaccounted and uncosted internal staff burden”, at a time when the council is forecasting a £23.4 million overspend.

He also highlighted petitions - including one on the council’s own website that was backed by 4,096 residents - calling for a referendum on the issue.

Cllr Jacob said the council was “essentially ignoring the will of the petitioners and a deep and widespread desire for a county-wide democratic process to unwind”.

He referenced estimates that had suggested it would cost between £1.5 million and £2 million for a referendum, “without any transparent line-by-line backing”.

He said the council could have run an advisory poll alongside next May’s local elections - “resulting in an effective, democratic referendum” at a fraction of the cost.

“If the cabinet is confident in the strength of its case for sanctuary status it should not fear putting that question directly to the electorate, who foot the bill,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the cabinet at the meeting, executive member for public health and community safety Cllr Ajanta Hilton (Liberal Democrat, St Stephen’s) addressed the concerns raised.

She told councillors that Council of Sanctuary status was a framework where councils could review how their existing services operated, strengthen partnership working, improve accessibility and support community cohesion.

Cllr Hilton stressed that it was designed to build upon existing activity rather than create entirely new programmes.

She outlined how the decision had progressed through the council’s democratic processes - arriving at cabinet only after being submitted to the full council in July and referred to the council’s public health and community safety cabinet panel for further consideration in September.

Addressing the calls for a referendum or public consultation, she said: “We are a representative democracy.

“Residents elect councillors to examine evidence, receive expert advice, and weigh competing considerations and make their decisions on their behalf.

“If every policy decision, partnership arrangement, accreditation required a public vote, we just could not function like that.”

Cllr Hilton acknowledged that cabinet had been aware of the “significant public interest surrounding this issue” when making the decision.

But she stressed that public interest alone does not determine whether a decision is procedurally correct or falls within the power of the authority.

She suggested that a great deal of the public debate had reflected “misunderstandings” about the accreditation.

She said that resourcing was not a significant issue, as the work would be carried out by officers already working in migration support. The accreditation fee is £2,700.

And she stressed that cabinet had been satisfied that the legal, financial and procedural implications had been fully considered.

Following the meeting, a spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said: “Members of the overview and scrutiny committee have today considered the call-in of a decision to commit the council to join the City of Sanctuary Local Authority network.

“The committee voted not to challenge, delay or refer it back for reconsideration.

“A majority of members are content that correct procedure was followed and the decision can proceed.”

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