Northamptonshire villagers say they are 'extremely concerned' with nearby hotel housing asylum seekers
Villagers in a Northants village say they are 'extremely concerned' with hotel housing asylum seekers.
Crick Parish Council has issued a statement saying it is ‘extremely concerned about recent incidents’ involving the IBIS hotel at Crick, which is currently housing asylum seekers as part of a Labour-Government-led scheme. The statement does not specify details of any particular incident.
In a statement, the council said: “The parish council is aware of and is extremely concerned about recent incidents involving the IBIS hotel at Crick.
“Regarding the use of the playing field, the parish council has contacted Serco directly. Serco have told us that they cannot impose a curfew, and the residents are not prevented from leaving the hotel. Serco have said that they will speak to the hotel residents about using the playing field at night and making a noise.
“It is worth reiterating that the decision to house immigrants at the IBIS was a Central Government decision and was not supported by West Northamptonshire Council or Crick Parish Council, both of whom strongly object.”
Residents are being urged to report any incidents to the police and also their MP Stuart Andrew.
The parish council said: “Any and every incident witnessed should be reported to the police on 999 if it is an emergency or 101 if it is not an emergency… Again, any concerns or incidents must be reported, without exception.
“Representation should be made to our local MP because they have access to central government and can lobby for change. We would encourage everyone who has concerns to express these to your MP.”
Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP for the Daventry Constituency covering Crick, said safety of residents in his area is his ‘highest priority’.
He said: “I have been consistently raising concerns with the Home Office about the situation in Crick.
"I will continue working closely with local authorities to help ensure our communities are safe for all.”
A Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman said: “We are aware a man from Crick has been charged with sexual assault by Warwickshire Police following an incident in Rugby on Tuesday, August 5.
“We know this incident has caused concern to people living in the area and our Neighbourhood Policing Team have been completing extra patrols in Crick in recent days to offer reassurance.
“We continue to work closely with partners including local councillors and West Northamptonshire Council to help respond to any concerns people may have and encourage people to contact us if they have any questions.
“We also encourage people to report crimes to us via online, via 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
Liberal Democrat councillor Rosie Humphreys, who represents the Crick ward, previously said: “I am in complete agreement with Crick Parish Council’s position that the Ibis is totally unsuitable for use as a contingency hotel. The Ibis lacks any facilities close by and is in a remote location – it beggars belief that the Home Office can think it appropriate to use this hotel again. Even if the government has inherited an asylum system that is all but broken, with thousands stuck in a backlog without their claims processed, this is no reason to make a bad decision again by reopening the Ibis for asylum seekers.”
A Home Office spokesman said: “The government is reducing expensive hotel use as part of a complete overhaul of the asylum system.
“From over 400 asylum hotels open in summer 2023, costing almost £9 million a day, there are now fewer than 210, and we want them all closed by the end of this Parliament.
“We will continue to work closely with community partners across the country, and discuss any concerns they have, as we look to fix this broken system together. The security of the local communities within which hotels are located will always be our paramount concern.”
A Serco spokesman said: “Serco is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers on behalf of the Government. However, under Home Office rules, asylum seekers are free to come and go from their accommodation as they wish. This is not a detention centre and we do not run a security operation. “All asylum seekers are given an induction into what is expected of anyone living in the UK and in common with everyone else living in this country, they are expected to obey the laws of the land. Any anti-social behaviour or illegal activities should be reported to the Police who will handle the issue.”
In 2022, the very same hotel was used by the Conservative Government to house more than 160 asylum seekers who came from a variety of countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen, Syria, and Iran.
A national petition on the use of hotels for asylum accommodation has reached over 100,000 signatures, triggering a parliamentary debate.