Introduction
Every day, the Council delivers hundreds of different services which support everyone from children and young people to families and vulnerable older people – making sure nobody is left behind in Coventry.
With hundreds of thousands of people engaging with our services every day, it's understandable that there's lots of discussion about the Council's work.
In recent years, with the continued rise of social media, we've noticed that some misinformation being shared and some myths taking hold.
We believe that its essential to challenge myths and misinformation. By understanding the realities of the situation, we can have informed discussions about the future of our city.
Asylum seekers
We know that misinformation around immigration and asylum can spread quickly — and sadly, it can cause unnecessary tension in our communities. Therefore, it’s important we’re equipped with the facts so we can help keep the conversation grounded and respectful.
Who are we talking about?
- Migrants are people who move from one country to another — maybe to work, study, join family, or start a new life. You might hear terms like “legal” or “illegal” migrant, which refer to whether someone has official permission to be here. Migrants make a big contribution to the UK — they fill job gaps, start businesses, and pay taxes. They’re part of the fabric of our economy and communities.
- Asylum seekers are people who’ve fled their home country because they’re afraid — of war, violence, or persecution. They’ve asked for protection here in the UK and are waiting for a decision. While they wait, they’re usually housed by the Home Office and aren’t allowed to work.
- Refugees are asylum seekers whose claims have been accepted. The government agrees it’s not safe for them to return home. Refugees have the right to live, work, and access services — just like anyone else in the UK.
Myths and the truth
There’s a lot of talk about migration in the UK right now — but sadly, not all of it is based on facts. Misinformation can spread quickly, and when it does, it can cause real harm: fuelling division, creating confusion, and overshadowing the experiences of people who’ve fled war, violence or persecution in search of safety.
Here in Coventry, we want to be known for something better — compassion, fairness and truth. By sharing accurate information, we can help build a city that’s welcoming to everyone, where people feel safe, respected and supported.
Common claims and the facts behind them
Let’s set the record straight:
- Claim: Councils choose where asylum seekers are housed.
Truth: Accommodation is arranged by the Home Office, not local councils. - Claim: Asylum seekers get generous financial support.
Truth: Support is minimal — £9.95 per week for those in hotels, and £49.18 for those in other housing. It’s meant to cover basic essentials. - Claim: They should just get a job.
Truth: Government policy doesn’t allow asylum seekers to work while their claim is being processed. - Claim: They’re here for freebies.
Truth: People seeking asylum have fled unimaginable circumstances. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. - Claim: They get free phones.
Truth: No, they don’t. Some may receive basic support from charities to stay in touch with loved ones, but phones and internet access aren’t provided by the government or paid for with public money. - Claim: Asylum seekers are treated better than homeless people or veterans.
Truth: The Government has a legal duty to house asylum seekers while their claims are reviewed. Councils also have a duty to support people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. These are separate issues, and both are taken seriously. Coventry has also signed the Armed Forces Covenant, ensuring fair access to services for veterans. - Claim: Asylum seekers cause more crime.
Truth: There’s no evidence to support this. The vast majority are law-abiding, Misinformation and/or disinformation can fuel harmful stereotypes and even violence against asylum seekers. - Claim: They’re living in luxury hotels.
Truth: The hotels used are budget or repurposed buildings. Rooms are small, often shared, with no kitchens and little privacy. People have no choice over where they’re placed. - Claim: They jump the queue for housing.
Truth: Refugees go through the same housing application process as everyone else. There’s no automatic priority — it’s all based on need.
You can also read the UK Government's: Asylum seekers in the UK: common questions in 2025 [http://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10337/].
City Centre Cultural Gateway
The former IKEA building is now known as the City Centre Cultural Gateway (CCCG).
The CCCG will be a central hub for culture and community in the heart of the city centre, and we’re working with national and local partners, including British Council, Arts Council England and CV Life. Coventry University will be a tenant of the building and will be utilising floors five and six.
Whilst plans for the building have been taking shape, the building has been open for interim use. It has often been used as a filming set and was included as a location for Lenny Henry’s drama,â¯Three Little Birdsâ¯and the BBC’s fashion series,â¯Style It Out.â¯The building has also been home to Hollywood Games and has often been used as a meeting and working space for local and national businesses.â¯
When finished, the building will boast collection management facilities, artists’ studios, post-production filming facilities, galleries and a public cafe.â¯The building is expected to open in 2026.
Financial considerations
Before embarking on the project, we put together a robust business plan for the CCCG. The project is fully costed, and any Council investment will be repaid in the fullness of time. The project is funded through a combination of Government grants, capital funding and partner contributions. Tenants for the building have already signed up and will be moving in when the building opens in 2026.
Beyond the direct finances of the project, our modelling of the situation highlights the project’s ability to lead to economic growth. High-level economic projections suggest the potential for significant job creation and economic value, bolstering Coventry's position as a vibrant hub for arts, culture, and tourism.â¯â¯
Find out more about the project. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/homepage/1910/city-centre-cultural-gateway]
City of Culture
Impact
Our year as the City of Culture had its challenges, but it also had its successes.
Firstly, an independent evaluation report published in November 2023 found that Coventry received a £156.5 million increase in tourism during its year in the spotlight compared to pre-COVID figures. This was a huge shot in the arm for a sector that was particularly hit hard by the pandemic.
In addition, despite being delayed by the pandemic, the year saw a number of fantastic events take place in our city. Huge events like the Drone Show in War Memorial Park, Gratte Ciel’s Awakening in Broadgate and the Radio One Big Weekend were attracted to the city by the City of Culture status and alongside smaller community-focused events. What was most encouraging about the year was that the evaluation showed that communities from across the city, including those who typically don’t engage with culture and arts, found plenty to attend, which led to a significant increase in engagement with the programme within these communities.
The second huge benefit of the programme was that it attracted £183 million of additional investment into the city. This helped the Council embark on a huge regeneration of the city centre, including the renovations to the Bull Yard, Station Square and Upper Precinct. In addition to this, funds were used to support key cultural landmarks such as Drapers Hall and the Belgrade Theatre and Daimler Powerhouse to name a few.
Financial issues
The trust’s financial issues are well documented in the media and many of you will have read about the loan granted by the council. Administrators have published their final report, and the Council will not be recouping the value of the original loans.
The Council is bitterly disappointed by the situation. However, we know the loan was spent on maintaining cultural activity in the city and ensured payments to both suppliers and to major and smaller cultural bodies that had provided content and events.
We are also aware of a further compliance case investigation by the Charity Commission, which remains open, and we therefore await the outcome of their findings.
Council Tax
Why does Council tax keep going up?
Since 2010, the Council has lost around £100m in Government funding every year. We have a number of efficiency and cost-reduction programmes that help us to plan our finances carefully, but ongoing inflationary pressures, and demand on services - such as Adults and Children’s Social Care, and Housing and Homelessness - have led to significant additional pressures, both here in Coventry as well as across the country.
In comparison, a 1% increase in Council Tax now provides us with a £1.7m monetary increase for the Council. Currently, legally, we can only raise Council Tax by 2.99% (plus up to a 2% social care precept) without holding a local referendum.
This all means that the Council Tax increase, while necessary, is barely scratching the surface of the funding and demand pressures. We do not want to raise Council Tax, however it is assumed in government funding allocations that all Councils raise by the maximum. We have been continuing to engage with Government on an updated funding regime based on need and expect to find out more later this year on how this will affect Coventry.
Why don’t students have to pay Council Tax? You’d have more money if they did.
The law states that being a full-time student classifies you as a "disregarded person" and, therefore, you don't need to pay Council Tax under any circumstances. That is a national law and not in the Council’s gift to change.
Coventry Very Light Rail
Earlier this year, Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) vehicle was tested in the City Centre.
Lots of people have been asking why we should have a VLR vehicle. That’s easy to answer – it’s a new, affordable, rail-based travel system that can be delivered in less time and at less than half the cost of traditional tram systems.
Our ground-breaking track means it goes down fast, 220m was laid in the city in just eight weeks. And it can take really tight corners – providing a new option for smaller sized cities like Coventry.
CVLR has sparked interest from across the globe, and it will provide a further public transport option in Coventry. In the future it could even be autonomous, a hop on, hop off option for people.
During the trial period, thousands of people booked onto the rides and we received some important feedback.
Similar to the cycleways, the funding for CVLR has come from government grants. However, there is wider economic potential for CVLR. It was born out of the innovation and manufacturing skills base of the city and it will be the only tram to be built in the UK with a supply chain that will create and support jobs for local people. The Council owns the intellectual property rights to the vehicle and track form. This means we can sell the vehicle to other cities around the world.
Lastly, the vehicle has a number of innovations which make it significantly better than other systems like the Birmingham Metro. Here’s a quick explainer video outlining the differences. [https://www.facebook.com/coventrycc/videos/664945529582538]
For the latest on the project, sign up to the newsletter [https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKCOVENTRY/subscriber/new?topic_id=UKCOVENTRY_362] or visit the project hub. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/coventry-light-rail]
Cycleways
Cycleways are a hot topic in Coventry and we need to dispel some common myths about them.
Starting with the finances, the cycleways are paid for by government grants, not Council Tax. That money is given to the Council specifically for the schemes and can’t be spent anywhere else such as fixing potholes, accommodation for the homeless or support for the vulnerable.
We introduced the cycleways for a number of reasons. Firstly, in 2018, the Government said we needed to have a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) due to concerns over our air quality. A Clean Air Zone would’ve seen people charged when they drove into the city centre, and this would’ve disproportionately hurt the most financially vulnerable and would’ve discouraged people from visiting the city centre. â¯One of the ways we avoided the CAZ was by designing and installing these cycleways.
But that’s not the only reason – we also believe that residents should have options that enable them to make some journeys on foot or by bike. This is called active travel and its good for the environment and for health. Cycleways are also good for residents without access to a car.
Our aim is to create a superhighway of safe, segregated routes, and where cycleways are in place, we have seen usage go up – in fact, some local schools get kids on bikes as part of their PE lesson. An unexpected but brilliant bonus!
For the latest on cycleway projects, visit our project hub. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/cycling-1/segregated-cycleways]
Student accomodation
You might hear that the Council has built a lot of student accommodation in Coventry. That’s not true.
As the Council, we are the planning authority in the city. That means developers must bring their applications to our planning committee for approval.
If you refuse an application the developer has a right to appeal your decision by going to the Planning Inspectorate, which is a separate national body. If the Council loses that appeal, the planning application will be approved, and the Council may have to pick up the legal bill for the developer.
Planning laws are very strict, and you have to have solid legal grounds to refuse an application. We can’t just refuse them because we’d rather have something else.
In the case of students, Coventry is very fortunate to have two world-class universities located in the city. Being an attractive destination for students is an important aspect for our city as they bring money into our city and are active participants in our city’s communities.
Find out more about the planning department. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/planningapplications]