Maria Miller MP calls for halt on Basingstoke hotels providing asylum

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council leader Cllr Simon Bound said the Home Office must stop expecting Basingstoke to "do more than other towns and at ever-increasing short notice".

Maria Miller MP echoed Cllr Bound’s concerns and said the hotel chains must stop offering up their rooms to be used as semi-permanent accommodation for people who require access to significant health and social services.

Currently, it is understood that three hotels in Basingstoke are offering accommodation for asylum seekers under an agreement with the Home Office.

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The calls come amid reports that the Home Office is talking about taking over a fourth hotel in Basingstoke.

Cllr Bound said he is looking at options to take out an injunction against the Home Office like how some other towns have done.

He said: “Leader of the council at BDBC is grateful for all hotels and charities have done to support asylum seekers but it is time to go back to supporting local residents and businesses

“Over the last few months, it won't have passed residents and business by that three hotels in and around Basingstoke have been offered up to house large numbers of asylum seekers and refugees. As a council we have been trying to work with the Home Office, local charities and voluntary groups to support these large numbers of individuals and families. As always, our local volunteer groups have worked wonders and been amazing. Often with short notice and under increasing pressure to support those seeking refuge in our community.

“I understand that the current levels of asylum seekers are currently difficult, but the Home Office must stop expecting us to do more than other towns and at ever-increasing short notice. The pressures on local services must be spread more evenly.

“I am now increasingly concerned for the ability of our local health services to support such large numbers and this was only heightened when the Home Office started talking about taking over a fourth hotel in the area. I have asked the borough council team to look at what actions we can take to prevent more hotels from volunteering and the Home Office expecting us to support more asylum seekers than any other part of the South East. Local businesses are already telling me that they are finding it incredibly difficult to find rooms for the clients and business visitors. Other parts of the country have taken out injunctions against the Home Office and we will look at doing this if that is what it takes.”

Maria Miller MP said hotel groups are selling rooms to house asylum seekers without a thought for the implications for the community.

She said: “Our councils, NHS, Public Health, Basingstoke Voluntary Action, and many local volunteer groups have done incredible work over the past year supporting Ukrainian and Afghan refugees, as well as asylum seekers, who have all sought refuge in our community.

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“But our local NHS does not have the capacity to take on the healthcare of more asylum seekers who could well be in poor health, having been sleeping rough, risking their lives, often at the hands of criminal gangs, to reach our shores.  

“The hotel chains must stop offering up their hotel rooms to be used as semi-permanent accommodation for people who require access to significant health and social services, when they were designed to provide rooms for business and leisure travellers. 

“I recognise the current levels of illegal immigration is exceptionally difficult for the Home Office and that they are working hard to establish an effective way forward with the French Government, who are often the last safe country for those who reach our shores. But Basingstoke is already more than playing its part in helping to address this issue, other towns must be used to provide accommodation to spread the pressure, especially on NHS services.”