Asylum seekers start arriving at Buckingham hotel

In last Wednesday’s (September 21) full meeting of Bucks Council, leader Martin Tett announced that a hotel in Buckingham was being earmarked for use in a government scheme to house asylum seekers.

Under the proposals the Bucks Council leader believed as many as 140 people could be moved into the hotel.

The Home Office instructed The Bucks Herald not to name the hotel, which is run by a well-known chain.

Yesterday, Wednesday, Bucks Council said asylum seekers had already started arriving in Buckingham.

A spokesperson said: “Buckinghamshire Council was made aware last week of the Home Office intention to house a number of asylum seekers in a hotel in Buckingham and a number of adults have now arrived at the site.

"Whilst we will always do what we can to support arrivals into Buckinghamshire, we have raised some significant concerns with the Home Office provider around the practicalities of whether this is the right place to meet the needs of these people.

"We are now in ongoing discussions with the Home Office and its provider about how the arrivals can be best supported.

“We have also sought assurances around the operation of the accommodation. We have been assured that staff will have a 24/7 presence on site and that support is in place for everyone staying at the accommodation.”

The spokesperson added: "Buckinghamshire has welcomed many refugees in recent years. We already provide wrap-around support for a number of arrivals, particularly from both Ukraine and Afghanistan.

"We want to ensure that the Home Office’s programme balances their overall asylum programme in a way that also considers the cumulative impact of all refugee arrivals on local services.”

We asked the Home Office for more information about the number of asylum seekers, where they are from and how long they are expected to be accommodated at the hotel.

But a Home Office spokesperson said: "The Home Office does not comment on operational arrangements for individual hotels."

“The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable and we are working with local authorities to find appropriate long-term accommodation across the United Kingdom.”