Long term debt amounted to 51 million in 2017, down from 60 million the year before, all arranged through credit deals with Barclays and HSBC banks. A separate investigation by Audit Scotland also concluded that the councils accounting of money payments in the Mears contract was not illegal. MEA House We will push for the Mears contract to be terminated by the Home . In January Cllr Paul Wood chair of Sheffield City Housing told SYMAAG 'I intend to instruct officers tomorrow (16 January) that the policy of Sheffield City Council is that we want this asylum housing contract to revert to the Council. They are listed as non profit but are companies limited by guarantee rather than charities. . After all costs were taken off, Mears profits were over 20 million each year between 2014 and 2017, and solidly above 10 million in the years before that. The company employs 12,000 people. To receive updates on homelessness prevention and financial inclusion related services, provision and changes linked to the Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic, please subscribe to the Active Inclusion Newcastle information update by emailing activeinclusion@newcastle.gov.uk. Links. Newcastle upon Tyne. Its accounts contain a long justification for the potential of its home care business, and thus maintaining the value of its goodwill. Councils often require new developments to include a proportion of affordable housing in order to meet planning stipulations, called section 106 agreements. T: +61 (0)2 9964 9733 F: +61 (0)2 9964 9924 Quanta Services builds the infrastructure that powers your world. This is a slippery accounting concept that appears when one company buys another for more than the value of its assets at the time of purchase (see a fuller explanation here). But these all depend on increased local authority funding, which is hard to predict with any confidence. We aim to provide excellent customer service, but recognise that sometimes we might fall short of your expectations. Terry, a design manager speaking fluent English, told me of his concerns about everyday life in the hotels. However, his bonus pay is linked to the companys financial performance, and with Mears finances slightly reduced from the previous year, Miles didnt get any of his bonus in 2017. If you have refugee or humanitarian protection you may be able to apply to have your partner and/or child(ren) join you. Merrimack, NH Blocking categories may impact your experience on the website. Further complaint has been sent., Asylum housing tenants and others have told me of Barnsley HMOs which Mears had not cleaned for months and where basic hygiene repairs had simply not been done. Of course, these institutions are also big property owners and developers in their own right. Thank you very much for your comments and for your solidarity with Mears tenants in asylum housing Last week I was sent video material of bed bugs crawling on woodwork in a Bradford asylum house where people had been placed from Urban House. When you visit websites, they may store or retrieve data in your browser. Blocking categories may impact your experience on the website. Tel: 0191 2737961www.redcross.org.uk. For more information on the new asylum housing contracts see our recent article. The former Erskine Bridge Hotel will offer refuge to asylum seekers arriving in the UK from this week (Image: Andrew Neil) Almost 200 asylum seekers will be placed in an . 1999-2018 F5 Networks. Collective protests now from people in Urban House IAC in Wakefield today 30 January, 10 am this morning 50 in peaceful protest at Urban House asylum hostel run by private company Mears. Roy Irwin was the Chief Inspector for housing of the Audit Commission, the official body which audited local councils finances until it was scrapped in 2012, with its functions privatised. Email. This storage is often necessary for the basic functionality of the website. 4500 North Mission Road Rosebush, Michigan 48878. Rockledge, FL How does Terraquest fit into Mears strategy? Media. If it is out of hours (after 5.30pm or any time at a weekend) and you have nowhere to sleep please contact: 0191 278 7878 (Ask for the 'Emergency Homeless Officer'). Financial information on the new contracts has not yet emerged and we do not know if the government bowed to the contractors demands to increase payments and profit levels. Just what is a profit-seeking company doing running social landlords? Newcastle upon Tyne Learn how your comment data is processed. At. The council put the regeneration scheme on hold in January 2018. In the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber this contract is held by Mears. The Home Office said: "The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain. Mears is an enthusiastic part of this. Mears Limited 821 000 0004 Northern Ireland Mears Limited 113 000 0005 North West Serco Limited 1 079 000 0006 Scotland Mears Limited 514 000 0007 South Clearsprings Ready Homes 662 000 0008 Wales Clearsprings Ready Homes 334 000 0009 Total value of contracts 4 553 000 000 Serco: 2 109 000 000 Mears: 1 448 000 000 In the evening, for dinner, around 6.30 everyone gets chips and a packet of crisps thats all. Ann Arbor, Michigan. She was moved to temporary accommodation which Housing4All and their Housing Rights Watch described on Twitter thus: Resident has been given temporary accommodation but there is currently no hot water or lights in the stairwell which is hazardous. Call Childrens Panel if youre a child in the UK on your own and applying for asylum. During the Mobilisation period, up to 1st April 2019, Mears will work with the Home Office and service users to make sure that accommodation that is used in the new AASC contract meets the required quality standard. Today on the protest there were people stuck in these conditions for 5 months the Home Office contract says that Mears should keep people in Urban House only for a few weeks. At the end of 2019, the accommodation estate was moved from one set of contracts to another. (24-hour service for emergencies) Find out about call charges. c/o BASE Community Co-operative As part of the Mears Group we offer partnership solutions and expertise in estate management and property maintenance. As of 2017, Mears has the ability to borrow 170 million through those deals if required, plus a new 30 million pot it can access for its new scheme to buy property before selling them onto to long-term developers (see the housing section). Its flagship regeneration contract in Milton Keynes may be hitting the skids, while it has recently lost a major deal in its own home turf of Gloucestershire. It has been like that for at least two months.. They have no idea where some people are., Terry showed me a text from Migrant Help saying that he was to be evicted. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. Listed below are details of how you can get help with core services: Housing - Depending on your situation, you have several options: Council Housing - Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) provides housing on behalf of the Council. Ellison Place Mears Group PLC 1390 Montpellier Court Gloucester Business Park Brockworth Gloucester GL3 4AH. But the contract will come up for renewal or retender in 2019. All rights reserved. What next for the Mears asylum contract in South Yorkshire? Mears men told me that there were just now 800 people in the hotels. According to its published accounts, the new activities in its housing and care businesses have not been funded by taking on lots of extra debt. Copyright Mears Group PLC. Its critical that ministers recognise this crisis and act to ensure some of the most vulnerable people in our society are protected. In early November, the Independent reported on Mears cases in Halifax, Leeds and Sheffield where Asylum seekers (were) left in houses with no heating in rat-infested homes. But we have no way of knowing the true scale of harm or dangerous situations resulting from the new contracts. The National Audit Office (NAO) is currently also investigating the new asylum housing contracts; it is calling for evidence from asylum tenants and anyone involved in the contracts. Mears Group recognise our people as our greatest asset. Would love your thoughts, please comment. If you have had a negative decision on your asylum claim then you will also be expected to leave your asylum accommodation and your financial support will stop. We look forward to hearing from you soon. A landlord with a long history of providing asylum housing for Home Office contracts told me, Only two or three existing asylum housing landlords have signed contracts with Mears in the whole of South Yorkshire. This product is licensed from F5 Networks. Most shocking of all: in 2017 Mears tried to ban beards. Urban House is run by the Mears Group as part of a Home Office 10 year 1.15 billion contract to provide asylum housing,where people wait whilst their asylum claims are considered. If you try to submit a local council planning application online, you will probably be redirected there. The Unity Centre in Glasgow and SYMAAG in Yorkshire are two groups actively supporting the struggle for decent housing for refugees. We will try to sort things out quickly and informally, but if you wish to log your issue as a formal complaint, we will investigate it accordingly. In particular, one model Mears is pushing is converting empty commercial property, such as old offices, into affordable housing. (replace [at] with @). Orlando Airport and Attraction Shuttle Reservations. Mears Group is a market-leading housing and care company that provides bespoke services to our clients. Email: feedback.mearsliving@mearsgroup.co.uk. 2019-12-21 19:00:03 . We use some essential cookies to make this website work. While technically non profit, these subsidiaries can help other parts of the business make money. Newcastle upon Tyne These items allow the website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language, or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. Mears also offers a range of management services to other landlords, such as income management (i.e., rent collection), and emergency accommodation. According to Mears 2017 accounts, the value of its long term assets add up to 237 million. If you have been granted refugee status, discretionary leave or humanitarian protection you will have similar rights to UK citizens, unless you have been granted discretionary leave with no recourse to public funds. The Milton Keynes deal is not the first time Mears has had to deal with overcharging allegations, or with whistleblowers. MPS has been caring for residents' homes for over 25 years. The company employs 12,000 people. Concerns have been raised about a letter sent to thousands of asylum seekers in Glasgow advising them not to take part in policed protests during the . I would like to thank all those individuals, in particular Terry, who gave their time and testimonies to jointly create this piece. Mears Group. While in the IAC, asylum seekers, whether single or families, receive no money at all, simply a room and food. Executive Offices. For example, in recent developments in Luton and Basingstoke. From its beginnings in pipeline engineering, it has grown to be a leader in corrosion engineering, pipeline integrity management, pipeline rehabilitation and horizontal directional drilling. But thanks to amendments to regulations made under the Blair government, companies have been able to use this to artificially inflate their overall worth, with Carillion again the most notorious example (click here for an in depth look at this by the Financial Times). In 2017 he also joined the board. Alternatively you can write to us on: Migrant Help, Charlton House, Dour Street, Dover, CT16 1AT. In circumstances such as these, their food is provided and they lose their 5.30 daily, which means they often cannot top up their phones to contact lawyers and family, or buy fresh . You should receive 28 days notice of the date that you must leave. They move us regularly. . Heber City, UT While those seeking asylum have no choice over where in the UK they are dispersed to, we take great pride in the fact that so many refugees chose to settle here once their claim for asylum is determined. Safe and Innovative Infrastructure Solutions. Phone Number: 1-989-433-2929: Mears Group, Inc. industries Building: Headquarters Location: 5051 Westheimer Rd, Houston, Texas . (24-hour service for emergencies) Please contact Migrant Help to report any problems with your asylumaccommodation, they will liaise with the accommodation provider on your behalf to address these. These items allow the website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language, or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. I have been shocked to read about the plight of asylum -seekers in Mears accomodation& express my solidarity towards them. In short: allegations have flown thick and fast around the Mears Scotland contract, and there is no doubt that the council leader was close to Mears executives. They told me they were paying in this hotel 150 for every person every week. When you visit websites, they may store or retrieve data in your browser. St Philips Vicarage The energy industry makes modern life possible, but few realize how intertwined the electric power, pipeline, industrial and communications industries are in our daily lives. So can Mears confidently expect the acquired businesses to bring in profits to justify the current valuations? Its revenues from this in 2017 were 134 million, down from 152 million the year before. Asylum seekers need some care and support. According to the Scottish Herald, Mears had just secured substantial concessions in its housing repairs contract with the council costing the authority some 25m, while a report from the councils own auditors, accountants Scott-Moncrieff said councillors had not had full facts before deciding not to re-tender the deal. An SNP councillor then asked the Commissioner to investigate whether McCabe had failed in not declaring his personal friendship with managing director Willie Docherty. Contact top employees from Mears Group, Inc. B. Britta Pohlman - Storm Water Coordinator I think the most frightening thing I saw was when there were over a hundred of us in a hotel in November, with families and some children under five, and we were all told to stay in the hotel for a week because on social media someone political had threatened us. Our office is based in Wakefield - will be expected to work between . Mears can offer a suite of services to its partners, from high-end luxury sales to temporary accommodation for the homeless. News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. Residents on the first estate targeted, Fullers Slade, protested at being let down and ignored by YourMK. I hope you can get Mears to come quickly. The IAC for Yorkshire and the North East is Urban House in Wakefield. A related business line is property acquisition funding. In Scotland, Mears takes over from the previous manager, Serco, after a strong local campaign against that companys attempts to evict 300 refugees from their homes in Glasgow. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. It is not yet fully clear what this will mean for the partnership with Mears. (limited service at other times) NE1 6SQ. The storage may be used for marketing, analytics, and personalization of the site, such as storing your preferences. For example, subsidiary vehicle that could deliver funding over 30. Mears is an industry-leading energy infrastructure solutions provider offering engineering, construction and maintenance services to the oil and natural gas, electric transmission and distribution, telecommunications and wastewater industries. In Yorkshire and the North East, Mears is replacing G4S whose asylum housing has been notorious for squalor, infestations, and scandal when racist vigilantes attacked homes whose doors had been painted an identical red colour. It has been particularly involved in Mears governance in the last year as it successfully led a move to oust long-term chairman Bob Holt (see the people section). Call Freephone: 0800 170 7008 or email: housingadvicecentre@newcastle.gov.uk. Mears does have another smaller MoD contract since 2016 it has run the militarys substitute service family accommodation, to find private sector housing for military personnel. I and others researching asylum housing warned the Home Office in 2018 in consultation events that separating off the reporting of repairs from the company that actually did them would slow down the response to repair requests and in emergency cases, create dangerous situations for asylum seeking families and so it proved. Mears has been awarded three new government contracts to provide accommodation and support for asylum seekers., The contracts are to provide accommodation as well as supporting each service user. Consistent profits have allowed Mears to pay millions out in dividends (the jargon for the cash paid out) to its shareholders. The AASC contracts, which will replace the existing COMPASS contracts, have an approximate value of 4 billion and are for 10 years. In Sheffield, in October, I visited a family with a 7-year-old daughter, who had reported a boiler failure back in August, when Mears was taking over their house. Mears also sees the overlap between its housing and care businesses as a good selling point looking to capitalise on an ageing population. Together, the two organisations are funding the purchase of more than 800 basic smartphones in an initiative that recognises the social and emotional needs for connectivity of a group that has experienced . Experience of managing around 17,000 homes in collaboration with landlords across the UK. If you have a business or service related enquiry, you can email us, call us on 01304 203977. Mears shares some of the characteristics the analysis pointed to as potential problems. The national portal is set up by the governments Ministry of Homes, Communities and Local Governments. Contact us; Contact. The company employs 12,000 people. Dripping Springs, TX This experience, combined with our expertise in housing repairs and maintenance, means we are a strong partner for the government to deliver asylum accommodation and support that is safe, habitable and fit for purpose. impacto negativo del internet en la cultura list of hotels housing asylum seekers in scotland Complaints about conditions in Urban House have been mounting over the past weeks and months about dirty toilets and washrooms,overcrowding,very poor food and above all the long wait to be sent to shared housing. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Quanta Services, we can . Don't let the name fool you: inside you'll find modern, cleanly decorated spaces that are ideal for student living, with different options to suit different tastes and needs. I visited two of the houses where, despite the fact that communal areas were really dirty, there was no evidence of recent cleaning (the visitation log mentioned cleaning on 8 October 2019). Together they are worth 1.15 billion over ten years. So far, Mears has overall management responsibility for some 10,000 properties. Registered Office: Innova House, Innova Park, Kinetic Crescent, Enfield, London EN3 7XH. Currently Mears has failed to provide private housing in various parts of Yorkshire and the North East on time.This means that between 600 and 900 asylum seekers with many children, are stuck for months in Urban House hostel and hotels across West Yorkshire with no money at all. His career has been advising businesses on financial deals such as raising money or buying other companies. Calls are free, open 24/7/365 and accessible to all asylum seekers in the UK. Privacy is important to us, so you have the option of disabling certain types of storage that may not be necessary for the basic functioning of the website. "The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable - there are currently more than 45,500 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer 5.6m a day. We have been renting a considerable number of properties to Asylum seekers ever since the home office contracts began. Last week I was sent mobile phone pictures from residents of the hostel, showing dirty toilets,crowded shared rooms and infestation by bed bugs. Please contact the Asylum Teamat asylum@newcastle.gov.uk. One notable point: from September 2012 until 2016, Sercos Scottish asylum housing was largely sub-contracted to another scandal-hit company, Orchard & Shipman. NE4 8SR According to the Milton Keynes Citizen, the council asked its auditors to investigate allegations that Mears had overcharged for repairs by up to 80,000 a month, and that 15 million of council money is currently unaccounted for by Mears. Find out about how to pay your rent, your service charges, what to do if you fall into arrears, and benefits advice. You can change your cookie settings at any time. North of England Refugee Service (NERS) The following voluntary sector organisations may be able to offer short term support while you consider your options. Michael, who invited me into one property, showed me a blocked toilet upstairs. Without this, the overall worth of the company according to its accounts would drop from 210 million to just 15 million. The number of properties in use varies depending on size, but around 300 are presently being provided in Sheffield. Highest UK asylum claims since 2004 Councils to be forced . In January 2019 Mears won its biggest deal yet 1.15 billion worth of asylum housing contracts with the Home Office. To keep growing, Mears is expanding into new business lines, such as building its own housing developments and running its own regeneration schemes. I emailed my emergency contact at Mears, who unsurprisingly was on holiday and unavailable. These items help the website operator understand how its website performs, how visitors interact with the site, and whether there may be technical issues. Get help by phone if youre an asylum applicant or refugee and you need advice about the asylum process or adapting to life in the UK. 866-435-5686. Telephone: 020 7346 1134 Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm. Call Asylum Support Application UK if youre an asylum seeker and cant support yourself financially and want to apply for asylum support. Mears shared are listed on the London Stock Exchange. In 2017 it had 345 housing apprentices and 224 care apprentices. We also found that while staff pay at Mears may have compared well to that at other major home care companies, it was still barely above minimum wage. one of the UKs biggest maintenance and repairs contractors, Asylum seekers (were) left in houses with no heating.