Lancashire County Council's Asylum Accommodation Policy Under Review Amidst Court Ruling

Strategic Insights -

Stephen Atkinson, Lancashire County Council's leader, has stated that the authority will consider the recent court ruling in Epping Forest, which blocked the use of a hotel as accommodation for asylum seekers waiting for their applications to be processed. Atkinson acknowledged that county councils have limited power in two-tier areas like Lancashire, where housing and planning responsibilities largely sit with borough and city councils. He added that the council has written to 12 district councils, asking them to take on 'Article 4 directions' in relation to Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs), which would require permission for HMOs, regardless of size.

Key Takeaways:

  • The High Court issued a temporary injunction on Tuesday, blocking the use of The Bell Hotel in Essex as asylum accommodation.
  • Reform's national leader, Nigel Farage, pledged that the 10 local authorities under his party's control would "do everything in their power" to follow the lead of Tory-run Epping Forest District Council.
  • Lancashire County Council, led by Stephen Atkinson, will consider the Epping Forest ruling carefully and has written to 12 district councils to take on 'Article 4 directions' for HMOs.
  • The council's review into asylum and illegal migrant housing is currently underway, but its nature and findings are unknown.
  • County Cllr Atkinson suggested that alternative asylum housing, akin to the Nightingale hospitals, could be developed using land on military bases.
  • The current system for asylum accommodation in the UK involves initial hostel-style residences, followed by dispersal accommodation in private dwellings once asylum support has been granted.

Statistics:

  • The number of asylum seekers in the UK is not explicitly stated in the source material.
  • The government has become increasingly reliant on 'contingency' asylum accommodation, like hotels, over the last 5 years.
  • Preston City Council has an Article 4 direction requiring permission for HMOs, regardless of size, in parts of its area.
  • Lancashire County Council has written to 12 district councils, asking them to take on Article 4 directions for HMOs.
  • The Nightingale hospitals used during the pandemic could potentially be developed as alternative asylum housing.

Sources:

  • Cllr Stephen Atkinson's statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS)
  • Reform party announcement of a review into asylum and illegal migrant housing
  • Epping Forest District Council's court case against The Bell Hotel in Essex
  • Government guidance on asylum accommodation in the UK
  • BBC interview with Cllr Stephen Atkinson