Have your say

Can the council afford to house 20 families of Syrian refugees in Argyll following the news of proposed budget cuts?

David MacLeod, 63, Oban ‘If they can home the refugees without any detriment to the locals who currently need homes then I don’t see anything wrong with it. And as long as they are proper refugees and not migrants. ‘I don’t think we can afford to house them though with the recent budget cuts. ‘I’d like to see some of the councillors take a wage cut, especially with the cuts surrounding disabled children.’

Zoe Gregory, 44, Oban ‘I think it’s ridiculous that they are housing 20 refugees when there are so many people waiting for homes. ‘It’s not fair if they just come and get a house when people have been waiting years. ‘I don’t think we can afford it and if they get the houses, what happens to those who really need them?’

David MacVicar, 27, Oban ‘It doesn’t bother me. I’d be happy for them to come to Oban. They’re not going to do me any harm. They will probably contribute more than some people in Oban. We can’t afford to house them, but it needs to be done. The government should subsidise it.’

John McDonald, 54, Oban ‘I don’t have a problem with Argyll and Bute council housing refugees. I feel sorry for them. They are escaping a hell hole. I’d be happy for them to stay in Oban as long as they get involved with the community. There should be something in place – a liaison between them and the community; we don’t want them to feel isolated. What they have to endure is no way to treat a human being. We’re lucky, we live in a stable country.’

Ami Bairden, 25, Oban ‘I think what Argyll and Bute council is doing is fantastic and it’s what we should be doing. I’d be happy for them to live in Oban. We should take as many as we can. ‘ We should do as much as humanly possible to integrate them into the community. ‘ We can afford it. When it’s a choice between human rights and some people not getting as much as they are currently getting, of course we can. ‘ People need to understand that they are running for their lives.’