You may already be aware that the Home Office have placed a number of asylum seekers in a local hotel in Newquay. This is in response to the terrifying petrol bombing at Dover and the overcrowding within Manston immigration centre. It is also due to the number of boats that cross the English Channel continuing to rise.
The use of hotels for this purpose is happening across the country and not just in Cornwall. All Local Authorities are included within the Home Office response. Cornwall Council is working with its South West colleagues. We want to learn from their experiences and ensure appropriate levels of support. Cornwall Council are not receiving any funding to support those staying at the hotel.
Statements from Steve Double MP & Council leader Linda Taylor
The decision on which properties to use is made by The Home Office. The provision of these properties will be managed by a Home Office contractor called Ready Homes / Clearsprings.
Currently the occupancy is single persons. Who stays at the hotel is based on need and pressures within the asylum system. The nationality of those residing at the hotel will vary. Please be mindful that not all of these individuals will understand English. They may also have had a very difficult experience before arriving to Cornwall. We would be grateful for your patience and understanding at what will be a worrying and confusing time for them.
We know you will have a lot of questions about this situation, the rising concerns in the local community and what the council’s involvement is. We have put together the following information which will hopefully help in understanding what’s going on. We will continue to update these when information has been confirmed from genuine sources .
If you have any questions about the provision of the hotel, please contact the Home Office:
- email: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk
or - telephone: 020 7035 4848.
You can also find more general information about asylum seekers via the following link:
Newquay
We are absolutely aware of the community challenges within Newquay and that feelings are high across the viewpoints of asylum seekers. We are working with local people and all partners to mitigate risks felt by local residents and individuals within the hotel needing a place of safety.
We currently do not know how long the hotel in Newquay will be used for this purpose. The Home Office does not comment on individual cases. Some of the asylum seekers may be newly arrived in the UK and others may have been in the UK for some time whilst awaiting a decision on their asylum claim.
People will be moved out as other accommodation in the asylum system is made available to them. This means that the people staying in the hotel will change over time. We have been informed by Ready Homes / Clearsprings that there is a contract in place for emergency accommodation. We will continue to seek clarification on this. We have also asked the Home Office to clarify whether other hotels in the county will need to be used.
After the hotel they will be moved on to other temporary dispersed accommodation provided by central government. This is while their claim for asylum is considered. This could be anywhere in the country. This accommodation is not sourced by the council. Cornwall Council does have a mandatory requirement from government to support Clearsprings and agree to longer term asylum accommodation. The use of hotels will only be stopped by each Local Authority actively working with Clearsprings in finding suitable longer term accommodation whilst claims are being processed.
Security
Ready Homes / Clearsprings have a manager on-site. They are also providing additional staff to ensure appropriate 24-hour, 7 days a week, on-site security cover. We are in daily contact with the on-site manager. We will raise any concerns about anti-social behaviour that is reported to us.
The local Police are also aware that the hotel is being used to accommodate asylum seekers. They are working closely with us and partner agencies.
The Police will deal with any reports or concerns as they would normally do. The Police have also spoken to other areas who have accommodated asylum seekers. The feedback has been that there has been low levels of crime and disorder during their stay.
If you are experiencing local concerns regarding the hotel, please email:
Concerns will be raised with the hotel and relevant partners.
If you have a crime to report, please contact the Police in the usual ways by either calling 101 or using their online reporting form.
Only use 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger or if the crime is happening right now.
Access to health services and benefits
Asylum seekers will be able to access local health services in the same way as any person visiting Cornwall on a temporary basis would have. Our Public Health team are in discussions with local health providers and NHS Cornwall.
Asylum seekers are not able to claim welfare benefits, nor are they allowed to work.
Asylum seekers in hotel accommodation where food and some services are provided, currently receive £8 per week.
Access to education
Were children or young people to be placed in Cornwall they would be given access to education. This could be through attendance at local schools and colleges or through other ways depending upon the needs of those placed here.
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