A Kent council is among several authorities being considered to host a government scheme to buy up new homes to accommodate people seeking asylum in the UK.
The plan is part of Labour’s bid to end the use of hotels as accommodation while people have their claims processed by the Home Office.
Thanet District Council is being considered for the government scheme which would see it receive funding to buy properties and renovate derelict ones. Picture: Kent County Council
Thanet District Council (TDC) has been named as one of five confirmed local authorities now being assessed to take part in the scheme.
The government would provide funding for the new homes to be bought by councils under the partnership, or invested in projects to refurbish and convert disused buildings.
The properties would initially be leased to the Home Office for a period of 10 years for this purpose, but would thereafter be incorporated into the council’s social housing portfolio.
MP Sir Roger Gale, whose Herne Bay and Sandwich constituency covers part of the Thanet district, says the issue of accommodating asylum seekers is complex and politically divisive, but believes this alternative to asylum hotels is the wrong approach.
“There is an issue that has to be dealt with, but I would argue that until people have their claims processed and have their status verified, they should be accommodated securely in purpose-built or purpose-converted accommodation,” said the veteran Conservative.
“Once people’s asylum claims have been properly processed and approved and they have been given leave to remain in the UK, then the local authorities in which area they are resident clearly have a duty to provide for them under their own housing waiting list schemes.
MP Sir Roger Gale’s constituency of Herne Bay and Sandwich also includes parts of Thanet
“My personal view is that East Kent in general and Thanet, in particular, has already and is contributing more than enough to try to find solutions to this problem.”
The long-standing MP also pointed out that of the total number of immigrants into the United Kingdom annually, illegal asylum seekers represent a minute proportion.
He added: “There tends to be, I think, an impression given that we are inundated with foreigners coming into this country illegally.
“The fact of the matter is that most of the people are not coming illegally, 5% of them are, which is why I have little time for people like Farage who simply want to stir this pot.”
It has been reported that 198 councils expressed interest in the £100m scheme, but only Thanet, Brighton and Hove, Peterborough and rural Welsh authorities have so far been confirmed as participants, according to The i paper.
KentOnline understands the new funding is for homes in addition to the social housing councils already provide or plan to secure in the future.
‘There is an issue that has to be dealt with…’
It means residents on the social housing waiting list would not see their places on housing lists pushed further back in the queue as a result.
Under the programme, councils could purchase properties on new housing developments where homes are struggling to sell.
The Home Office did not confirm how many people would be housed under this scheme, how many homes would be involved or where the properties might be when asked by KentOnline.
A spokesperson said simply: “We are furious at the level of illegal migrants and asylum hotels.
“This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well underway, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities and cut asylum costs.
“We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across government so that we can accelerate delivery.”
The government could provide funding for councils to buy properties to house asylum seekers before seeing the properties added to social housing stock after 10 years
A spokesperson for TDC said: “The council applied for round four of the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) in order to deliver more homes in Thanet.
“As part of the submission, the government sought to ‘assess the scale of opportunity’ for the Home Office Accommodation Pilots.
“The government was very clear that this was to gauge potential interest and not a commitment to take part.
“We have not received details of the pilot and as such, have not been able to consider whether to be involved.
“The council has previously taken part in three rounds of the Local Authority Housing Fund, which provides additional accommodation in the District for Ukrainian and Afghan citizens on government-approved schemes.
“As part of this, the council has secured 18 homes with the support of grants provided through the Local Authority Housing Fund. These are not homes that the council would have been able to acquire without this funding.”