UP to 130 asylum seekers could be on their way to Bury under radical Government plans.

The town is making arrangements to take its "share" of the ever-increasing numbers who are seeking sanctuary in Britain.

But town hall bosses are demanding that ministers give the borough enough cash to do the job.

They say that looking after asylum seekers will be a much more difficult task than helping the Kosovo refugees.

Nevertheless, Bury is now setting up a special group to draw up plans to cope with the influx, probably from mainly Pakistan, Albania and India.

Local authority staff will work representatives from housing, education, health, police and community services to arrange accommodation and provide support ranging from schooling to interpreters.

The move is due to the Government's new asylum and immigration bill which aims to spread asylum seekers across the country. Ministers want to relieve pressure on London and the South East, where most people seeking asylum are now based. In October 1998, there were 50,000 new applicants, an all-time record.

Bury will be expected to receive 100 but, as some might be the head of a family, the true figure may be nearer 130.

They will be here for months while their claims are assessed. Up to 40 per cent are successful, which means that around 35 people will remain here permanently.

Perhaps two-fifths could be put up in council houses, and the rest by private landlords and housing associations.

They will be given a combination of cash and vouchers which can be exchanged for food and personal goods at certain stores.

Bury has agreed to accept an average of ten asylum seekers each month starting next April. Setting up a team to offer support might cost well over £100,000, in theory to be reimbursed by the Government.

Council leader Derek Boden said: "It's very hard to argue with the principle and say we shouldn't have to take our fair share, and we will do our bit while their future is sorted out."

But he added: "It's a much more difficult job than us accepting refugees from Kosovo. Everyone understood that, they saw the scenes on TV and recognised that they were in urgent need of care and attention. I think they were received very well in Bury.

"But asylum seekers could be from anywhere, some in fear of their lives, others seeking to escape grinding poverty. We don't know what languages we have to cope with." Coun Boden said: "The major concern I have is whether the Government is really recognising the support we will need to give those people to make sure the situation doesn't go pear-shaped," he said. "I think they have seriously under-estimated the amount of support we need to give them.

"This the sort of job where, if it's done properly, we will be saving the Government a lot of trouble, while we will get the blame if it goes wrong."

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