A councillor said he was tipped off that 221 asylum seekers would be housed in multiple occupancy properties
A general view of one of the roads in Tonbridge and Malling district where properties are said to be under preparation for the arrival of asylum seekers(Image: Google Street View)
The Home Office said it had consulted with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) over plans to house asylum seekers in the area. Kent County Councillor Andrew Kennedy said he was tipped off that 221 asylum seekers would be housed in multiple occupancy properties in Montford Road and Oaks Dene in Walderslade.
Cllr Kennedy said he understood the figure of 221 was the “allocation” from the Government, as it looked to move asylum seekers out of hotels. The Home Office told KentLive: “This government is removing the incentives drawing illegal migrants to Britain and ramping up removals of those with no right to be here.
“That is why we will close every single asylum hotel, moving asylum seekers into basic accommodation. Local authorities are consulted on all dispersed accommodation before it is procured, with the opportunity to respond to consultation requests from our providers.
“Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has been consulted in this instance. The population in asylum hotels has fallen by nearly 20 per cent in the last year and by 45 per cent since the peak under the previous government – cutting costs by nearly £1 billion.”
A general view of Oaks Dene in Walderslade, not depicting any relevant property(Image: Google Street View)
Mr Kennedy, who represents Malling North East, said there were “many homeless people locally and many more living in unsuitable housing who will feel very left behind when asylum seekers are given homes locally”. He added: “If we must provide accommodation, this should be in secure areas, such as Crowborough Barracks, and not in residential communities.”
A petition calling on the Government to “review plans to disperse asylum seekers across the UK”, has been launched by Mr Kennedy. It also calls for additional safeguards for those claiming asylum “and the local communities in which they will be housed”.
Matt Boughton, the Conservative leader of TMBC, said people in towns and villages across the borough would be “rightly shocked this is what the Government is doing”. Cllr Boughton said on Facebook it wasn’t “fair” when the council had a waiting list with “hundreds of families on it”, who were looking for the same type of properties, yet had to be put in temporary accommodation by the council, sometimes outside of the borough.
Councillor Andrew Kennedy represents the Malling North East division in the Tonbridge and Malling district for Kent County Council
A spokesperson for the council said: “TMBC is aware of a houses in multiple occupation (HMO) enquiry regarding properties in the Walderslade area. TMBC’s role in this matter is limited to its statutory responsibilities.
“This includes the licensing of HMOs, where required under national legislation. The council has no input into the process to decide which properties are used as HMOs on behalf of the Government.
“Where a property meets the legal definition of an HMO, the council has a duty to process any licence application. If granted, the council can apply conditions to ensure properties are safe, properly managed and suitable for occupation.
“TMBC does not select or approve properties for use by external organisations, and decisions about the occupation of accommodation sit with the prospective licence holder. TMBC is required to assess applications against specific criteria set out in law, which focus on the suitability and management of the property.
“Our priority is to ensure that all licensed properties meet the required standards, regardless of who has made the application.”
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