November 16, 2022 11.30 am This story is over 12 months old

MP and council leader frustrated: Hotels given little notice of Skegness asylum seekers

Council leader wrote to immigration minister to express concerns

The leader of East Lindsey District Council and the local MP are frustrated by the lack of notice given to hotels in Skegness that they would house asylum seekers.

Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman told BBC Look North that there are currently five hotels being used, up from three last week, but is “worried that there is an unfair burden being put on Skegness”.

When asked if the Home Office told him in advance that the hotels were being used, he said: “Yes, they did, but only by, in one case, a matter of hours and in the other a matter of days, so I didn’t get a huge amount of notice, and annoyingly nor did local authorities either and that’s one of the problems with this new situation.”

Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman is “worried that there is an unfair burden being put on Skegness”. | Screenshot: BBC Look North

BBC Look North added that Craig Leyland, leader of East Lindsey District Council, has written to the immigration minister to express his concern about the pressure on local services, and the lack of notice from the Home Office.

Councillors Billy Brookes, from East Lindsey District Council, said: “I think people are scared really. They’re scared of the fact that people are going to be coming here and not have the support and the infrastructure, and the things that vulnerable people that will be staying in these hotels need.”

Meanwhile, the mayor has called an extraordinary meeting at Tower Gardens Pavilion in Skegness at 7pm on November 30 to discuss the use of hotels in the town for housing asylum seekers.

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