A TEAM of MPs investigating the influx of migrants were sent back to London with the message that Peterborough needs greater resources to cope with rapid population growth ringing in their ears.

In a six-hour visit to the city yesterday, five members of a parliamentary Select Committee on migration and community cohesion were given a "real world" account of how migration is affecting life in Peterborough.

Special Report: The future of Peterborough: Immigration in the city
The ET spotlights some of the key issues facing Peterborough as the city plans for the future.
-----------------------

Do you think the Government is doing enough to to help the City?
Comment below, email us: news@peterboroughtoday.co.uk or telephone the newsdesk 01733 555111.

Spending the morning at New Link asylum and migration centre, in Lincoln Road, Millfield, the MPs were within spitting distance of where the problems associated with migration, including pressure on health services, housing and schools, are hitting hardest.

And Adrian Chapman, Peterborough City Council's head of strategic growth and development, said Peterborough was close to a "tipping point" if the Government did not get a handle on the number of migrants entering the UK.

Speaking to The Evening Telegraph, Select Committee chair Dr Phyllis Starkey said: "We will not be making specific recommendations about specific places.

"But, we will take back the message about the scale of migration in Peterborough and the difficulties that it is causing."

However, Dr Starkey said the city council and police in Peterborough must make full use of their powers to prevent multi-occupancy homes and anti-social behaviour that can trigger tension.

After listening to the views of the city's African, Czech, Lithuanian, Iraqi, Polish and Portuguese population at the city New Link centre, the Select Committee moved on to the town hall.

There they faced more tough questions from the city's key decision-makers, including council leader John Peach, Peterborough Primary Care Trust's director of health Andy Liggins, Opportunity Peterborough's acting chief executive Steve Compton and Northern Division chief superintendent Paul Phillipson.

The meeting was held behind closed doors, but speaking afterwards Cllr Peach said: "It will take six to nine months before a report is compiled and even then the recommendations may not be approved by the Government.

"We are pleased that the Select Committee came to Peterborough to listen to us.

"We can always hope, but for the short to medium term, the impact on the council, police and health services will be virtually nil."

Mr Chapman said: "There is a danger that we are reaching a tipping point.

"There needs to be a proper system in place to collate new arrivals so we actually know how many people are here."

It is thought that up to 20,000 migrants have flooded into the city since the widening of the European Union in 2004, although Government estimates fall far short of that figure.

Chair of Millfield and New England Regeneration Partnership Hema Patel raised a string of migrant-related concerns, including the abuse of planning laws, the proliferation of shops selling alcohol and the difficulties created by the number of foreign languages currently spoken in city schools.

The Select Committee chose to visit Peterborough because it typifies an east of England location that has proved attractive to migrants working in the agricultural industry.