MORE asylum seekers than first thought are coming to Bury - and they could be here next month rather than next year.

Town hall bosses are now in a race against time to find houses, schools and cash to cope with the influx.

They are worried that the town will not have the services nor the money to "take its share" of the increasing numbers seeking sanctuary in Britain, and are asking the borough's MPs for help.

As revealed in last week's Bury Times, Bury had expected to receive ten asylum seekers a month under Government plans to disperse seekers across the country and relieve the pressure on southern local authorities, where most are based.

But that figure has now gone up to 13 a month, plus other family members, after London and Kent have effectively "shut up shop" on taking in any more. It means that everyone will have to accommodate more seekers and immediately. Mr Jim Wilson, chief social services officer, said that Bury would have to draw up an action plan to take asylum seekers in early December, rather than by next April as originally forecast.

He said it would be a rush to find accommodation and furniture, and there would also be a problem as the Millennium approaches, when some public services will be out of action.

A special team would be set up, costing more than £100,000, to link council staff with help from health, police, education and translation services.

Bury would prefer to take asylum seekers from Pakistan, India and "the former Albania", ie. Kosovars. This was because Bury already had residents from these communities, which might make it easier for people to fit in.

But members at Wednesday's, November 24, executive committee meeting were told that looking after these asylum seekers would be far more difficult than helping the Kosovo refugees.

They also heard that there were no clear plans as to who was responsible for dealing with seekers whose applications were refused.

Council leader Derek Boden said Bury would still agree to take its share of asylum seekers, but ask the MPs to make sure Bury received enough Government money to cope.

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