Rich pickings in the world of asylum seekers

Company made millions through Home Office housing scheme

Owen Bowcott and David Pallister
Wednesday August 3, 2005
The Guardian

It has taken Julia Davey only five years to build up her multimillion-pound property empire. From small beginnings in 1999 - housing single asylum seekers for Kent county council - the assets of the Angel Group at the end of 2003 had, according to the last company report, expanded to nearly £40m.

In that time Ms Davey, 48, has formed 57 other companies. On top of big dividend payments, she awards herself a salary of around £½m. She is the sole director. That is the sort of basic pay expected by the head of one Britain's top plcs.

 http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,1541364,00.html

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Inquiry into firm's asylum contracts

David Pallister and Owen Bowcott
Wednesday August 3, 2005
The Guardian

The Home Office is investigating allegations of financial irregularities by a private property company which earns millions of pounds annually through government contracts for housing asylum seekers around the country.

The investigation, prompted by inquiries by the Guardian, focuses on claims that the London-based Angel Group charged the Home Office and Leeds city council for the same properties.

Company records, internal emails and testimony from former Angel employees also suggest the company was paid for accommodation that was unfit for habitation or for which it had no keys. Records further suggest Angel claimed discounts on council tax to which it was not entitled in Leeds and Newcastle upon Tyne.

 http://society.guardian.co.uk/asylumseekers/story/0,7991,1541405,00.html

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Firm accused over asylum seeker homes

Double-letting claim rubbish – company

William Green
Political Correspondent

A PROBE into an asylum seeker housing contract has been launched amid claims a private company charged the Government and a Yorkshire council for the same properties.

The Home Office is investigating if London-based Angel Group rented the same houses to Leeds Council to put up homeless people and to the Government to accommodate asylum seekers for seven months last year.

The company has a contract with the Home Office's National Asylum Support Service (NASS) to provide 3,351 bed spaces, which equates to 5.78 per cent of the entire scheme. It provides accommodation in Yorkshire and the North-East, and separately has a deal with Leeds Council to house the homeless.

Allegations have also emerged as to whether the firm was paid for accommodation unfit for habitation or for which it had no keys in Newcastle and whether it claimed discounts on council tax to which it was not entitled in the city and Leeds.

The Home Office yesterday confirmed a probe was under way, and added the contract could be terminated and the police involved if evidence of fraud was substantiated.

 http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=55&ArticleID=1104661

The Angel Group works in partnership with Operation Reclaim, playing their part in making it the success it is today.

Operation Reclaim was set up in the North Glasgow area to promote integration and tolerance. The project set up in areas where there was ongoing fighting between rival gangs from the surrounding territories. Tensions in the area where further heightened over the years with the high influx of asylum seekers and refugees to the North Glasgow area.

However, the project provided a source of activity for the young people from the area who were either involved or living in fear of violent crime. With the help of a police presence Operation Reclaim has started to alleviate these problems during the time they are present in the area and furthermore, help promote racial integration and anti-territorialism.

The project has proved a major success over the past two years. It has expanded to five areas across North Glasgow, attracting approximately one thousand participants to the project. Not only does the project provide activity, it aims to develop the young people of the area and create future opportunities for the participants of Operation Reclaim, which would not have been possible without the aid and support of the project partners.

The Angel Group is one of these partners that played a pivotal role in the continual success of the project. Operation Reclaim’s spokesperson would like to thank The Angel Group for their support. The spokesperson said, “Without the support of our partners, such as The Angel Group, Operation Reclaim would not have experienced the success it has to date. The work carried out via The Angel Group is very important to the project and we hope to maintain the support and good relationship which helps everyone involved with Operation Reclaim”.