Council 'resolute' over asylum hotels stance

West Northamptonshire Council leader Mark Arnull

A council said it remained "resolute" in its intention to take enforcement action against hotels housing asylum seekers, its leader has said.

Mark Arnull, the leader of Reform UK-controlled West Northamptonshire Council, said a High Court decision to allow asylum seekers to continue living at an Essex hotel would not "deter us from our current course of action".

Epping Forest District Council had sought to block migrants lodging at The Bell Hotel in Epping by arguing its owner had flouted planning rules.

In statement, Arnull said that three hotels in West Northamptonshire "have never been suitable" and "continue to place relentless and unsustainable strain on local services".

He said: "Having issued planning contravention notices to the owners of the three hotels being used by the Home Office for asylum accommodation we are currently evaluating them and seeking legal opinion on the council's case to inform next steps."

The council leader added that the local authority would "continue to do everything we can within our powers to ensure the right outcome for our residents".

The issue was also raised at Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage stating that the "brilliantly run" council would be issuing "foreclosure notices" on the three hotels "in the next few days".

Farage said the move was "in response to grave public concern about the safety of women and girls on the streets of West Northamptonshire".

'Respect local democracy'

Farage's comments prompted Sally Keeble, the Labour group leader on the council, to call for "urgent clarification" on the action being taken against the asylum hotels.

She said: "If the council is to take action, the information should be provided to elected members of the council and the local public in a proper manner. If the information has been selectively leaked for party political purposes then that would be a disgrace. If the council is not taking action then people need to know that, too.

"What would be worst would be if the council's ability to take action is damaged because of irresponsible political kite-flying by the national leader of Reform UK. He should respect local democracy, not stamp on it."

The Labour government said the use of asylum hotel was temporary while it processed the large backlog of asylum seekers.

It said the numbers in hotel accommodation had halved over the last two years and it aimed to stop using hotels completely within the next four years.