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| Hotel is wrong place for migrants, says North Devon Council | Hotel is wrong place for migrants, says North Devon Council |
| (14 days later) | |
| A hotel in Ilfracombe is housing at least 55 migrants | A hotel in Ilfracombe is housing at least 55 migrants |
| Council bosses have said they were not consulted by the Home Office about the arrival of at least 55 migrants at a hotel at a seaside resort. | Council bosses have said they were not consulted by the Home Office about the arrival of at least 55 migrants at a hotel at a seaside resort. |
| North Devon Council said the hotel in Ilfracombe was an "unsuitable location" for them due to its remoteness. | North Devon Council said the hotel in Ilfracombe was an "unsuitable location" for them due to its remoteness. |
| North Devon MP Selaine Saxby asked the Home Office directly for an "urgent and detailed consultation" with the council. | North Devon MP Selaine Saxby asked the Home Office directly for an "urgent and detailed consultation" with the council. |
| The Home Office said the use of hotels was a "short-term solution". | The Home Office said the use of hotels was a "short-term solution". |
| 'I don't know what to do' | 'I don't know what to do' |
| Councillor David Worden, leader of the council, said he was told in October by the government that the hotel would not be used to house migrants. | Councillor David Worden, leader of the council, said he was told in October by the government that the hotel would not be used to house migrants. |
| He said: "We were not consulted or formally notified about this change in direction from the Home Office, nor do we have a full understanding at this stage of their intentions for the hotel's future use." | He said: "We were not consulted or formally notified about this change in direction from the Home Office, nor do we have a full understanding at this stage of their intentions for the hotel's future use." |
| He warned Ilfracombe was an "unsuitable location for use as asylum accommodation due to its remoteness and the likely impact of the loss of an operating hotel on the local economy". | He warned Ilfracombe was an "unsuitable location for use as asylum accommodation due to its remoteness and the likely impact of the loss of an operating hotel on the local economy". |
| Manston migrant centre: What are the problems? | Manston migrant centre: What are the problems? |
| Migrants being stranded in London was a mistake, says minister | Migrants being stranded in London was a mistake, says minister |
| How has Norwich responded to the arrival of stranded migrants? | How has Norwich responded to the arrival of stranded migrants? |
| BBC News spoke to one migrant, who did not want to say where he was from, but moved from Croydon and arrived in Ilfracombe at about 02:00 GMT on Thursday. | BBC News spoke to one migrant, who did not want to say where he was from, but moved from Croydon and arrived in Ilfracombe at about 02:00 GMT on Thursday. |
| He said: "I don't think that this is the right place, because in London I used to have an Orthodox Church where everything is in my language and I understood everything. | He said: "I don't think that this is the right place, because in London I used to have an Orthodox Church where everything is in my language and I understood everything. |
| "Now I don't know what to do, because I have no information and they are not telling us how long we are going to stay here. I don't know what is happening." | "Now I don't know what to do, because I have no information and they are not telling us how long we are going to stay here. I don't know what is happening." |
| Linda White, who resides in north Devon, said Ilfracombe was not the right location to bring asylum seekers. | Linda White, who resides in north Devon, said Ilfracombe was not the right location to bring asylum seekers. |
| She said: "It was done I think behind everyone's back, there aren't homes for the people down here anyway. | She said: "It was done I think behind everyone's back, there aren't homes for the people down here anyway. |
| "A lot of people can't get a dentist, a doctor or a hospital appointment, and they have put these poor people down here." | "A lot of people can't get a dentist, a doctor or a hospital appointment, and they have put these poor people down here." |
| Local Karen Dart said residents would have "liked a bit more consultation", but knew that "people need help and they are leaving countries that have problems so they are welcome". | Local Karen Dart said residents would have "liked a bit more consultation", but knew that "people need help and they are leaving countries that have problems so they are welcome". |
| Mr Worden said he recognised the council's "responsibility to help people seeking safety in the UK", and said the council, Devon County Council and Ms Saxby intended to gain a "full understanding" of the Home Office's "intentions for the hotel's future". | Mr Worden said he recognised the council's "responsibility to help people seeking safety in the UK", and said the council, Devon County Council and Ms Saxby intended to gain a "full understanding" of the Home Office's "intentions for the hotel's future". |
| It comes as Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been criticised over the conditions at a migrant processing centre at Manston in Kent. | It comes as Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been criticised over the conditions at a migrant processing centre at Manston in Kent. |
| There are thousands of migrants at the camp, which local Conservative MP Roger Gale said had been "overwhelmed". | There are thousands of migrants at the camp, which local Conservative MP Roger Gale said had been "overwhelmed". |
| A coach arriving at the Manston processing centre in Kent this week | A coach arriving at the Manston processing centre in Kent this week |
| Ms Saxby said the Home Office needed to find a solution for processing asylum claims. | Ms Saxby said the Home Office needed to find a solution for processing asylum claims. |
| "This is just not an appropriate way to treat people who are seeking asylum in our country and I hope now they are with us in Ilfracombe they are at least more comfortable than where they've come from," she said. | "This is just not an appropriate way to treat people who are seeking asylum in our country and I hope now they are with us in Ilfracombe they are at least more comfortable than where they've come from," she said. |
| Analysis by BBC South West Correspondent Jenny Kumah | Analysis by BBC South West Correspondent Jenny Kumah |
| The Home office will not comment on whether anyone here has come from Manston in Kent. | The Home office will not comment on whether anyone here has come from Manston in Kent. |
| Some of the hotel residents we spoke to today told us they had spent some time at Manston before being moved elsewhere and then on to here. | Some of the hotel residents we spoke to today told us they had spent some time at Manston before being moved elsewhere and then on to here. |
| They described sleeping in a "big tent" on the ground for several days at Manston with no phones and no information. | They described sleeping in a "big tent" on the ground for several days at Manston with no phones and no information. |
| Ms Saxby told me that now people are here, the focus should be on providing support and processing claims swiftly. | Ms Saxby told me that now people are here, the focus should be on providing support and processing claims swiftly. |
| The Home Office said: "The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain. | The Home Office said: "The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain. |
| "The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable - there are currently more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6m a day. | "The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable - there are currently more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6m a day. |
| "The use of hotels is a short-term solution and we are working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation." | "The use of hotels is a short-term solution and we are working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation." |
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