Second hotel used to accommodate migrants in Torbay

Torbay Council said its childrens' services department is under "profound" pressure

A second hotel is being used to accommodate migrants in Torbay, with no consultation from the Home Office, according to the council.

Torbay Council said it was not notified about the use of a second hotel and has taken legal advice with a view to seeking injunctions.

Last weekend the council said it faced "massive financial costs" from the use of the first hotel.

The Home Office said there was "no alternative" to using hotels.

The council said its children's services department was under "profound" pressure, with a number of migrants presenting as being under 18.

'Urgent proceedings'

Anne-Marie Bond, chief executive of Torbay Council, said: "We asked for assurance from the Home Office that there would be no further hotels in Torbay, but despite that request, we learnt on Monday 7 November that a further hotel has been stepped up by the Home Office.

"This was without any prior notification to us.

"We have today asked, through our solicitors, urgent questions of the Home Office and we stand ready to issue urgent proceedings upon a response from them."

Ms Bond said the social and economic impacts were "significant" and the pressure on services, particularly Children's Services, was "profound".

"With the first hotel alone, we are managing a significant number of residents who are claiming to be under the age of 18 and this is limiting our ability to undertake statutory services for children and young people," she said.

The council served a judicial review pre-proceedings letter upon the Home Office on Tuesday and is expecting a response by 18:00 GMT on Wednesday.

It will then decide whether to begin proceedings in court for an interim injunction.

The Home Office said it would not comment on legal challenges, but a spokesperson said: "The number of people arriving in the UK who seek asylum and require accommodation has reached record levels, placing unprecedented pressures on the asylum system.

"The Home Office and partners identify sites for accommodation based on whether they are safe and available.

"While we accept that hotels do not provide a long-term solution, they do offer safe, secure and clean accommodation, and we are working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation during this challenging time."

The Home Office is also temporarily housing migrants in a hotel in Newquay and in Ilfracombe.