Exmouth hotel to be used for asylum seekers, council says

A hotel in Exmouth will be used by the Home Office to house asylum seekers

The government will house a number of asylum seekers at a hotel in Exmouth, a local council has said.

East Devon District Council said it had been told by the Home Office an "unspecified" number of asylum seekers would arrive at the hotel in the coming days.

The authority said it was not involved or consulted on the decision.

But it added that it was working with partner organisations to offer support.

The Home Office is funding the accommodation, as well as security arrangements.

Elsewhere in Devon, a hotel at Exeter is housing asylum seekers, and a third hotel was being prepared for use in Torquay, prompting a council to take legal action due to the increased pressure on services.

The Home Office is also temporarily housing migrants in a hotel in Ilfracombe, as well as in Newquay, Cornwall.

Councillor Steve Gazzard, chairman at Exmouth Town Council, said he hoped the town would help the asylum seekers feel "safe, respected and understood".

'Hand of welcome'

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council's cabinet member for communities, said local authorities were "well-placed" to provide support.

"We are extending our hand of welcome to those new arrivals, and with a duty of care, will do all we can to support them," he said.

Dr Nigel Acheson, chief medical officer at NHS Devon, said there were "well-established processes" in place for the provision of care.

He added: "Local people can continue to access health services as normal."

The Home Office said the use of hotels to house asylum seekers was a "temporary solution" to "record levels" of arrivals.

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