I awoke to a social media frenzy the other Friday morning. Apparently, 60 asylum seekers were to be housed in Hoyland. Local community Facebook pages were ablaze.

According to these posts, the council had endorsed the plans, but in truth, we knew nothing about any of it. On checking, it was all completely false. Made up by someone with sinister motives, and spread rapidly online, to stir things up.

The council’s communications and marketing team responded quickly, working with partners and other council departments to fact-check. Social posts were deleted, and retractions were soon made, but not without damage. Many had taken the hoax seriously, trusting

their local Facebook pages, even refusing to believe the council’s statement correcting the hoax. Some even resorted to threats of violence in their comments.

Barnsley has its share of those who would undermine trust and confidence in our borough and damage our reputation as a place.

Of course, migration is a national topic. The government is trying to get a grip, but is it a major issue in Barnsley?

Not at all. We currently have 314 asylum seekers in Barnsley, among a population of almost 250,000—less than 0.13%.

I hear people complain that asylum seekers get lots of money, while locals struggle. They get £49.18 per week. A bare existence, and legally, they’re not even allowed to work. The small number who are here are not preventing anyone else from getting a job.

In Barnsley, we’ve actually got more job vacancies than people to fill them.

There are no asylum hotels in Barnsley, and my colleagues and I have always resisted them. These are not good for communities or asylum seekers themselves. We don’t have any asylum seekers living in council houses either, as they’re not eligible. Private companies

provide all housing for asylum seekers. This is MEARS Group PLC for Yorkshire and the Humber not SERCO, as was quoted in the fake story circulated in Hoyland.

Asylum seekers are not a problem in Barnsley, but we do have a problem, and that’s people forming opinions on the basis of fake news and malicious stories.

If you want facts on migration, come to me and my council colleagues, not the agitators on social media channels. Then make up your mind.

This anti-migrant frenzy creates fear for many of our residents and people who do settle and work in Barnsley.

That is appalling and brings shame upon us.

The mass public disorder in Manvers brought shame not just to Rotherham, but to Barnsley. In total, 110 people were charged, 90 of which have been sentenced to a combined total of 218 years and eight months in prison. Many of those people come from Barnsley.

However, that’s not the Barnsley I’ve been proud to live in all my life. That’s not the Barnsley that businesses want to invest in and create jobs. Rotherham doesn’t want that, and neither should we.

All of us are human beings, and we all need to respect that. I agree with those who want to see our borders controlled and migration properly managed. Quite right.

When it comes to other migrants working here, managed and controlled migration is good for us.

Without doctors, nurses and carers from abroad, there would be no Barnsley Hospital or an NHS. Without investment and skills from elsewhere, our economy would shrink and the cost of living crisis would be even worse.

Even my beloved Barnsley Football team would struggle to compete.

People working hard, paying their taxes, are an asset.

They don’t displace local people’s jobs or council housing. Many businesses would fold without them.

We have in Barnsley, the best town in Britain, with so many great people and wonderful things going on.

Let’s not throw it away because a manipulative and malicious few want to cause harm and mistrust.

We are better than that.