Fears of homelessness increase in Black Country if 'migrant hotel' contracts end

Leading Black Country councillors have expressed their concerns at the plans to terminate contracts with dozens of hotels housing asylum seekers by the end of this year.

Amid a housing crisis, council bosses are saying they "already struggle to house people" and fear more people could end up on the streets as a result.

Councillor Kerry Carmichael, leader of Sandwell Council, said: "We have no houses to put people in at the moment, we already have a long waiting list. We do already struggle to house those who need it.

"If they close these hotels in Sandwell, of which we do have two, we may end up with the responsibility of housing the people who were in there. We are already in a bit of a housing crisis like the rest of the country is. We already struggle to house people.

"However, in Sandwell, we don't want to see people left on the streets. We would do our very best to help."

Sandwell Council also added that accommodation for asylum seekers is provided by the Home Office, also saying it is the Home Office's responsibility to re-locate anyone who is eligible for assistance when the hotels do close.

In March, the Government introduced plans to house asylum seekers on disused military bases and barges to cut spending on hotels, which has hit £8 million a day.

Mike Bird, leader of Walsall Council, added: "We have three of these hotels in Walsall, there is a real concentration here. There is always a concern about finding housing.

"We have had a number of protests about these hotels, they do cause great tensions in the community.

"At the end of the day Walsall has always been a welcoming authority, but everyone has to take their fair share of these migrants."

Walsall was shown to have at least three of the migrant hotels in their borough, with Sandwell having two hotels and Staffordshire having one.

In response to the government plans, Shaun Davies, Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) and leader of Telford and Wrekin Council, said that the number of asylum seekers presenting as homeless is likely to "dramatically increase", causing concern among council leaders.

He said: "Councils are also becoming increasingly concerned over the numbers of asylum seekers presenting as homeless which is likely to dramatically increase when Home Office accommodation is withdrawn as a result of the current clearance of the asylum backlog."

Mr Davis also went on to say: "Hotel closures have a direct impact on councils and local government wants to play an active role in working with Government on the decisions on which hotels to close.

"We also need advance engagement on what other alternatives, including large sites, will be opened up both for those leaving hotels and for ongoing new arrivals."

Wyre Forest Council has said the Home Office has written to the authority to say the hotel in its district will not be used to house migrants by the end of February next year.

Leader, Councillor Marcus Hart, said: "“We welcome the Home Office’s decision to cease to use this hotel as accommodation for asylum seekers. We look forward to working with the Home Office and Serco, its contractors, to make sure that there is no impact on the Council as a result of the process of moving asylum seekers from the hotel to other accommodation that the Government uses for asylum seekers. I am pleased that the hotel will be able to be used for its proposed future use.

“This district has a history of welcoming people of all nationalities, and we understand the need for asylum seekers to be appropriately housed while their claims are assessed. We look forward to the Home Office continuing to reduce its reliance on hotels for that purpose and that it will also be able to release more hotels in due course.”

Wolverhampton and Dudley Councils were also contacted for comment.