Council leader Peter Henderson wants local authorities to be allowed to offer homes to asylum seekers currently living in the Aegean Islands.

The SNP politician has put forward a motion asking  the council’s chief executive Eileen Howat to write to the UK Government’s Home Office about it. 

The motion will be considered by councillors  at a full South Ayrshire Council meeting on Tuesday (September 1).

The camps on the Greek islands are reportedly overcrowded with about 42,000 refugees living in poor conditions. 

The motion said: “Basic human rights are being denied, including access to shelter, education and drinking water. People are trapped in the Aegean Islands as a result of an inhumane European migration policy.

“A campaign is calling on councils across Europe to make a pledge for the immediate resettlement of asylum seekers from the Aegean hotspot camps. Cities across Europe have already pledged hundreds of places but much more needs to be done.”

The motion has been seconded by Labour Councillor Brian McGinley. 

It added: “We therefore ask council to support this campaign by asking the Chief Executive to write to the Home Office, asking the UK Government and UNHCR (the UN refugee agency) to support the decongestion of the Aegean Island camps and allow UK councils to take inhabitants of these camps as an immediate emergency measure under the new UK Resettlement Scheme.”

Politicians will decide whether to support the motion on resettlement at the council meeting.