Council wants asylum seeker meeting with Home Secretary

The council has called for a meeting with Shabana Mahmood

The co-leaders of Aberdeen City Council have called for a meeting with the Home Secretary over the housing of asylum seekers.

Ian Yuill and Christian Allard have written to Shabana Mahmood over the movement of asylum seekers in the city.

The letter said that protests that have happened in Aberdeen have left residents and those seeking asylum feeling unsafe.

A number of asylum seekers were moved from hotels into former student accommodation at Farmer's Hall, which has 150 rooms, in the Rosemount area of Aberdeen last week.

Two men, , aged 26 and 40, had been charged over an alleged hate crime following a protest outside the accommodation last Thursday.

A number of protests were held last month outside hotels housing asylum seekers in the city.

Mr Allard said, "Aberdeen has a great tradition of welcoming people fleeing war and persecution.

"Following the recent protests in the city, residents, students, our own staff and asylum seekers are not feeling safe."

A protest was staged at Farmer's Hall in Aberdeen last Thursday

Mr Yuill said the Home Office was responsible for providing accommodation for asylum seekers.

"It has failed though to engage with local residents and community representatives about this before new accommodation sites become active," he said.

"We believe this failure has increased risks to communities, students, council staff, and asylum seekers."

Demonstrations and counter-demonstrations have also taken place in Perth and Falkirk.

The Home Office said it was committed to closing all asylum hotels.

A spokesperson added: "To achieve this, we will look at a range of more appropriate sites like disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so that we can reduce the impact on communities.

"We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across-government so that we can accelerate delivery and more detail will be set out in due course."