Ipswich Novotel hotel migrant plan unsustainable, warns council

Home Office plans to house 200 migrants in a town centre hotel will put an "unsustainable" strain on local services, a council has said.

Some workers at the Novotel Hotel in Ipswich have been warned they face redundancy over the plans.

Ipswich Borough Council leader David Ellesmere said it was "absolutely disgraceful" staff were being laid off and warned about the impact on tourism.

The Home Office said it would not comment on "operational arrangements".

The hotel has been approached for comment.

The BBC has seen a letter to Novotel staff outlining Home Office plans to bring in its own catering staff, putting restaurant and kitchen staff at risk.

Labour councillor Mr Ellesmere said the town was already housing migrants in another hotel and other areas "aren't doing their fair share".

"The people coming to our shores have been through absolutely terrible experiences and we need to get them help that they are due," he said.

"[But] this is a hotel in the centre of Ipswich, it is one of our largest hotels and we're concerned about what effect that will have on attracting visitors to the town.

"Other areas of the country, which currently aren't housing any asylum seekers, aren't doing their fair share and we're having more pressure put on services in Ipswich."

The town's Conservative MP Tom Hunt also warned the plan would "put pressure on local public services".

He called in the House of Commons for the "new home secretary to prioritise the unsustainable practice of accommodating illegal immigrants in hotels and throw their support behind the Rwanda plan".

Speaking ahead of the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss, Mr Ellesmere said: "Just as we are seeing in other areas of government, there is chaos in the asylum and immigration system.

"I don't think the government has a coherent plan on what to do with asylum seekers, so they just latch on to areas which have already provided accommodation and see them as an easy touch, instead of putting the hard work into ensuring there are hubs of support throughout the country."

Martin Simmonds from Suffolk Refugee Support said with 75% of migrants granted refugee status, "we are talking about vulnerable people with a genuine need for our protection".

"We know from our work with asylum seekers that being stuck in hotels for an indefinite period while not allowed to work and receiving almost no financial support leaves people's lives in limbo and causes further stress and anxiety for people who are already traumatised," he said.

"Ipswich is a Town of Sanctuary with a proud record of welcoming and supporting vulnerable people, and we will continue to work with partners to provide a warm welcome and essential support to refugees and asylum seekers in Suffolk, however they arrive here and whatever their needs."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We do not comment on operational arrangements for individual hotels.

"The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable and we are working with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation across the United Kingdom."

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