CIVIC chiefs have stumped up £5,000 to kick-start an action fund to pay for a campaign against plans to build an asylum seeker centre in Lee-on-the-Solent.

The Daedalus Action Fund was launched yesterday by the leaders of all the main parties in Gosport who put their political differences aside to unite behind the people of Lee.

Residents have been invited to donate to the fund, which will pay for billboards, advertising and demonstrations that are being organised by the council.

In addition, the council is also producing petition forms and inviting people to register their objection with the council by filling in flyers.

Leader of the council Shaun Cully said the move was a clear message that the council was united with residents on the proposals.

He said: "We are a united front on this. I think the fact that we have already put £5,000 into the fund shows how seriously we are taking this, particularly when budgets are so tight. We will also be forwarding the letters the council has been receiving to the Home Office.

"We know that residents have already been active but we all need to work together on this so we pull in the same direction."

All parties including Cllr Cully, Gosport's Conservative party leader Peter Edgar and Councillor Mike Russell, leader of the Liberals, were unanimous in their condemnation of how the government has handled the announcement.

Cllr Russell described the proposal to house 400 asylum seekers at Daedalus as "a kick in the teeth for Gosport".

Meanwhile, residents hoping to hear firsthand why Lee-on-the-Solent had been earmarked to house an asylum seeker centre have been left disappointed after Home Office minister Beverley Hughes refused to meet them face to face.

As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo, Mrs Hughes had been invited to attend a public meeting tomorrow.

She said: "In the circumstances I do not think it would be helpful for myself or my officials to attend a public meeting at such short notice before the facts of our proposal have been presented to the local planning authority or to the public."

Despite her decision, Mrs Hughes said she was hoping to address a meeting of councillors and community groups some time in the future.

She also revealed how the government was planning its own advertising assault on Lee-on-the-Solent residents, including a series of meetings and exhibitions.

"In addition, we are producing a factsheet which will be distributed across Gosport next week. This will be complemented by a website dedicated to the proposal at HMS Daedalus, which will go live next week," she said.

But Gosport MP Peter Viggers said it was "shameful" that the minister was not meeting residents to explain the plans.

"I reminded her of the statement she made earlier this week but now the minister has refused an opportunity to hear the comments and questions of local residents, despite being given four days' notice and having the importance and urgency of this matter stressed to her," he said.

Meanwhile, an action group has also been formed by residents in response to the public outcry over the plans.

The Daedalus Action Group has already formed a committee, organised a petition and a public meeting tomorrow at St Faith's church hall and also plans to stage a march.

Organiser Elaine Kent said: "We really want to get organised with how we are going to tackle this. We are going to announce a few events at the meeting this Saturday, including the march. But that won't be the end of it. We are planning a series of events that will keep the pressure up and really make our mark. We want the government to know that we are just not going to accept this."

The public meeting is expected to attract up to 3,000 people - half the town's population - to the small parish hall and a public address system will broadcast what is being said to the crowds outside.

A meeting of the councillors next week, when the fund and council action plan will be agreed, is also set to be broadcast to expected crowds outside the town hall.

But at yesterday's meeting councillors urged caution to the residents when staging mass demonstrations.

Cllr Cully said: "We would obviously advise people to stay within the law when staging marches."