A petition objecting to north and West Cumbria being designated a place of sanctuary will be considered by councillors next week.
Council of Sanctuary status is awarded to councils who take the right steps to support people seeking sanctuary – including refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants, those fleeing domestic or other abuse, and those moving here from elsewhere in the UK.
The council will apply for City of Sanctuary accreditation – a national movement recognising local authorities that actively foster welcoming and compassionate communities.
It means the council has systems in place to welcome and protect people, and to make sure they get the help they need.
Members of Cumberland Council are due to meet at the Civic Centre in Carlisle on Tuesday, March 3, to consider the petition, which says the citizens of Carlisle and Cumberland object the city and council of sanctuary status.
The petition organiser cited a number of examples where asylum seekers have committed serious crimes, once they had arrived elsewhere in the UK, as reasons for the objection to sanctuary status and said: “The city is unrecognisable to what it once was.”
According to the council report the petition was submitted via the www.change.org website and, at the date it was submitted to the council, the petition contained 1,883 signatures.
1,112 of the signatures were from council area which meant it exceeded the threshold to be debated by the council.
It is recommended the members consider the report and the contents of the petition.
Conservative councillor Gareth Ellis, seconded by Mike Johnson, had proposed the motion for the authority not to sign up to the scheme.
A report that will go before councillors next week said: “Council agreed in September 2024 to pursue recognition as a council of sanctuary.
“Since then, a Council of Sanctuary Strategic Statement has been approved by executive on November 25, 2025, and a motion to overturn the September 2024 agreement has been debated and rejected by the council in January 2026.
“Following the confirmation of council’s intent in January 2026, an application for the Council of Sanctuary Award has now been submitted.”
The report said the petition did not make a clear request of the council.
It added: “Rather it outlines a number of concerns relating to the changing demographics of Carlisle, specifically related to the presence of asylum seekers.
“It particularly raises fears about safety, indicating that those signing it feel intimidated by the presence of people who are seeking asylum.
“As members will be aware, being a Council of Sanctuary will make no difference to the number of asylum seekers placed in Cumberland by the Home Office.
“The aim of being a Council of Sanctuary is to ensure that people arriving in Cumberland are supported adequately to be quickly and effectively integrated into local society.”
It is proposed that, on the basis that the council has now twice confirmed its support for becoming a Council of Sanctuary, most recently at its last meeting, the council note the contents of the petition.
It said that council could reach any alternative resolution it saw fit and the report concluded that the report was intended to confirm what actions are being proposed.
