Colchester council criticises government over asylum seekers in hotels

A council leader has criticised the government for sending what he feels is a disproportionate number of asylum seekers to local hotels.

Liberal Democrat David King, at Colchester Borough Council, said there were hundreds of migrants in the area and that two hotels were being used.

Essex Police was called to an incident at one of the hotels on Wednesday.

The Home Office insisted it engaged with local authorities as early as possible whenever sites were used.

It said more than 37,000 asylum seekers were currently in UK hotels.

"I think we are on the edge frankly of what we can cope [with]," said Mr King, speaking to BBC Essex.

"It's not the principle that people in need have a room to stay in - that's entirely right and we would support that. It's the fact that it's short-termism, a lack of planning and a lack of good delivery."

Mr King said the borough had taken in 400 Ukrainian refugees, the highest figure in any one Essex district, and had the highest number of asylum seekers "in dispersed accommodation" in the region.

Home Office dialogue was "laughable", he said, adding: "We get very little notice, we get very little chance to prepare, we don't know how many and we don't always know where [they're going]."

He claimed families could be "languishing" in temporary accommodation for "many months" and that this led to "dissent".

Essex Police was called to "reports of concern for safety" at one of the hotels and confirmed the "situation was resolved quickly, with the people on the roof coming down".

Maria Wilby, director at Refugee Action - Colchester, also told BBC Essex: "We have to do more and also do more to support legal aid solicitors who are taking on thousands of clients per firm, who are paid a pittance for that work and therefore aren't able to force the Home Office to process claims quicker.

"Until that's done better, there will be no room for people coming in."

Conservative Holly Whitbread, Epping Forest District Council's portfolio holder for housing and community, also accused the Home Office of not consulting the local authority on using two hotels in her area.

"We do all we can, but also we are under a lot of pressure to provide homes for local people," she said, adding that there was about 1,400 people on its housing register waiting list.

Colchester council said it had 2,519 active applicants on its waiting list.

The Home Office said it cost UK taxpayers £5.6m per day to house asylum seekers in hotels.

It said it engaged with local authorities as soon as possible when sites were used.

A spokesperson said: "Asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute are provided with support whilst we consider their claim for international protection.

"This includes free accommodation and utilities, as well as a weekly allowance and additional provisions for families with a baby or toddler who are accommodated in contingency hotels."

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