District council promises legal action should Home Office place asylum seekers in local hotels

Fenland District Council has said it will take legal action if the Home Office decides to place asylum seekers in hotels in the town of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

Councillors concerned that the Home Office is eyeing the town's hotels as accommodation for asylum seekers said they would "seek legal advice and do everything in our power to fight these plans".

The announcement comes amid reports of councils pushing back against the Home Office’s  placement of asylum seekers in hotels across the UK as the Government department struggles to process an increased number of arrivals.

Fenland District Council Leader, Cllr Chris Boden, said: "It would be irresponsible of the Home Office to consider placing vulnerable people with no recourse to public funding in a town such as Wisbech, without consideration of the impact this will have on the asylum seekers themselves or the significant support they will need."

He added that the area was rural, had limited suitable accommodation and transport links, and complained of already having "significant issues with migrant exploitation and homelessness, which could be further impacted if contingency asylum accommodation is earmarked for Wisbech".

Cllr Samantha Hoy, Fenland's Cabinet Member for Housing, added: "We fully understand and share residents' concerns about the potential use of local accommodation to house asylum seekers and would urge the Home Office to consider more suitable locations.

"If it becomes clear that accommodation in Wisbech is being considered to place asylum seekers, we will seek legal advice.”

At least four councils have sought injunctions stopping asylum seekers from being housed in hotels in their areas.

On Wednesday last week, the High Court refused to extend a temporary injunction obtained by Stoke-on-Trent City Council pending a full hearing of the local authority's claim, describing the council's position as "weak".

East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Ipswich Borough Council, and Great Yarmouth Borough Council have also obtained without notice interim injunctions.

Adam Carey