Council extremely worried over asylum hotel plan

A plan to house 300 asylum seekers in a single hotel has prompted a council to say it is "extremely worried" by the idea.

Carmarthenshire council said the Home Office proposes to use the Stradey Park Hotel in Furnace, Llanelli.

The authority said it had concerns about the "cohesion of the local community" and whether services in the area could cope.

The Home Office said it was making "every effort to reduce hotel use" to house asylum seekers.

The council, police and crime commissioner for Dyfed-Powys and Hywel Dda health board have jointly raised concerns about the plans.

Council leader Darren Price described Carmarthenshire as a "welcoming county" with a "strong track record" of supporting refugees.

However, he claimed the plans would have a “detrimental effect on the local community" and would "place significant strain" on education and health services.

"We have already housed a significant number of Syrian, Afghan, Ukrainian and general asylum seeker households but this has been achieved through a co-ordinated and planned approach," he said.

"As a council, we have grave concerns around the intention of the Home Office to accommodate in excess of 300 asylum seekers in one concentrated space."

Dafydd Llywelyn, Dyfed-Powys police and crime commissioner, said the lack of planning by the Home Office around temporary accommodation was "extremely concerning".

"There has been no local engagement or any form of consultation with local service providers to understand the impact of locating in excess of 300 asylum seekers at one location in Llanelli."

The Home Office said: "The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.  

"The Home Office is committed to making every effort to reduce hotel use and limit the burden on the taxpayer."