“It is now time to end the use of the hotel for housing asylum seekers," says Northamptonshire village councillor
“It is now time to end the use of the hotel for housing asylum seekers," a Northamptonshire village councillor has declared.
Complaints recently surfaced after reports of men “hanging around” near Deanshanger Primary School during drop-off and pick-up times. These concerns were reported in the national press over the weekend.
It is alleged that the men are asylum seekers staying at the nearby MK Hotel in Deanshanger.
Responding, a Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the concerns reported by people regarding alleged suspicious activity in Deanshanger last month, and having followed all lines of enquiry for every report, we can confirm that we did not identify any offences, increased risk, or safeguarding issues.”
However, Ian McCord, Independent Councillor for Deanshanger, believes it is now time to end the use of the hotel, calling it ‘unsuitable’.
Mr McCord said: “It is now time to end the use of the hotel for housing asylum seekers. Its location makes it unsuitable. The residents of the hotel should be in a place where they have access to support that does not exist in a village. The village residents need to be able to know their community is safe. We must exercise an abundance of caution and end the use of this hotel for migrants awaiting processing.”
Police say they have been in contact with the school, and officers continue to conduct high-visibility patrols outside the gates at key times for ‘reassurance purposes,’ not as a response to any identified risk.
A police spokeswoman said: “We continue to liaise with the local community, including the parish council, school, and community groups, to offer reassurance and encourage anyone who has been a victim of crime to contact us and report it.
“We are also urging people to be mindful of what they share on social media, including WhatsApp, and to take the time to consider whether a post is genuine or could be disinformation or misinformation.”
The hotel has been housing asylum seekers for three years as part of a nationwide effort to accommodate thousands of migrants in temporary accommodation.
The Home Office and the West Northants Labour Group have been contacted for comment.