Government Gives Stevenage Council Just 24 Hours’ Notice Before Dumping Asylum Seekers in Town Centre Hotel
Baroness Taylor Slams Home Office for Last-Minute Decision
Stevenage Borough Council was left in the lurch after getting just one day’s notice from the Home Office to house nearly 180 asylum seekers in a town centre hotel close to the Westgate Shopping Centre. Council leader Baroness Taylor of Stevenage revealed the government gave the heads-up on Saturday, December 3 — a mere four days before the council’s executive meeting on December 7.
Baroness Taylor acknowledged the council’s duty to support those fleeing “horrible situations” abroad. But she blasted the Home Office for dumping asylum seekers without proper planning, putting both migrants and the local community at risk. “Officers and I do not believe the use of [hotels] is acceptable, nor do members or I am sure our community,” she said.
Local Services Warned of Crushing Strain
The Home Office admits the asylum system is under “incredible strain,” but refused to comment on specific arrangements at individual sites, including these emergency hotels.
The asylum seekers are split between two locations: 183 are housed at a hotel off the A1, while 178 are lodged right in Stevenage town centre. Baroness Taylor warned that vital public services like education, health, and social care are already stretched to the limit—and this sudden influx will only push them further to breaking point.
“We are already seeing very stretched public services… placed under more strain due to the increasing use of contingency hotels… There has been no time for appropriate health screening and safety measures,” said Baroness Taylor.
Secret Spot-Booking Sparks Fury
The Home Office and hotel signed the spot-booking deal back in mid-November — with zero warnings to MPs, council officers, or local representatives. The arrangement is set to last only until December 16, but the council fears it will cause long-term damage to community cohesion built up over decades.
Baroness Taylor blasted the government’s chaotic response to the asylum crisis. “The inappropriate use of hotels has become the government’s only option because of their complete failure to plan for the rising numbers. They’ve ignored growing demand and bungled the application process.”
Asylum Applications Surge, Spotlight on Government Failures
New House of Commons data shows the UK received 52,525 asylum applications in the year ending September 2022—a figure rising sharply after a dip in 2010. The peak was 84,132 back in 2002, but numbers have climbed back up to stress test the system.
The Home Office’s scramble to house asylum seekers in hotels like Stevenage puts local councils and services under enormous pressure—with little warning or support.
