Councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby on reaction to mosque
The Grade II listed building has been owned and used by the council for some years but is now empty and we agreed to lease or sell the building.
The local councillor, Laura Wright, and I spent some time talking to residents in the area and have been reassured by the local reaction, which has been almost entirely positive. This appears to be in contrast to some of the less well-informed manoeuvres which have perhaps presented a more un-wholesome face of Monmouthshire, much of it on social media.
On the doorstep, we were able to provide more information for those who had initial worries. We listened to concerns, mostly arising from mis-information about what the development could entail. In fact, residents were pleased to learn of the big plusses: the building will be open to wider community use for events, celebrations and classes.
What has reassured me is that underneath some very unhelpful moves, almost all local people have shown a warm, positive response to multi-culturalism, to inclusion, friendship and tolerance.
There is currently too little provision locally for the Monmouthshire Muslims who have diverse racial and cultural backgrounds.
Actually, this chimes well with the overall approach in our county, which is well on its way to becoming an official county of sanctuary.
In fact, only last week, Abergavenny's own Town of Sanctuary group (AToS) won a Welsh national award for their outstanding work. The voluntary group supports sanctuary seekers and refugees with a range of services - from English language cafés and sewing circles, to job clubs, mentoring, sports, coach trips, and practical resettlement support.
Their work exemplifies the best of Monmouthshire - kindness, action, and community spirit.
We actively support refugees through various schemes, including the Refugee Resettlement Scheme, Asylum dispersal, and the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy.
The county has been involved in resettling refugees since 2016, many of them Afghans who assisted the British Army. We are also involved in the "Homes for Ukraine" scheme, with a significant number of Ukrainian refugees hosted in Monmouthshire. And the crucial role of local communities has been so impressive and reassuring.
Those who try to present a different face to our tolerant and welcoming people do themselves, and us, no service.
Councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby is leader of Monmouthshire County Council.
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