The session aims to give residents clear, factual information and provide reassurance about how Clearsprings Ready Homes and local agencies will support the families placed at the hotel.  Up to 241 people will arrive in small groups as part of a phased approach.

No families will be arriving at the hotel prior to this information session taking place.

At the session, representatives from the Home Office, their accommodation provider Clearsprings Ready Homes, Hywel Dda University Health Board, Carmarthenshire County Council, Dyfed-Powys Police and Migrant Help will address issues and questions raised by residents.

The chair of the session, Canon Aled Edwards OBE, the former Chief Executive of Cytun Churches Together in Wales said:

“We recognise the concerns raised by the community who want clarity about the use of the Stradey Park hotel as accommodation for asylum-seeking families.  This online session will seek to provide an opportunity for the Home Office and their accommodation provider, Clearsprings Ready-Homes to address concerns, in addition to hearing how local services will respond to support the guests. 

“We want to make the session as informative as possible to build understanding so your questions are important to us - please get in touch.”

Questions for panel members should be submitted via email to infoevent@wlga.gov.uk by 09:00 on Monday 21 August. Common themes will be identified from the submitted questions and the panel will be asked to speak to these, to maximise the time available. Submitted questions will not be asked individually due to anticipated high interest from the public.

It is important to note that this will be an information session and there will be no opportunity to comment or ask further questions during the session. If you wish to have your question considered by the panel, you must submit it in advance. Panel members will not be able to comment on any ongoing court proceedings.

An updated question-and-answer document will be made available following the session. 

Enquiries may be rejected if they are defamatory, racist, frivolous, or offensive. Only the chair and panel members will be visible. Cameras, microphones and chat functions for those joining the session will be disabled.

Members of the public will be able to join the session live via the following link:

https://bit.ly/45dNwKM

A recording be available after the session.

Ends –

Notes to Editors:

In accordance with the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation, and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered. However, additional pressures have been placed on the system, and the teams working within it, to find suitable and sufficient accommodation. 

The increase in dangerous small boat crossings is causing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system and we are in a migration crisis.

The use of hotels is a contingency measure, in order to meet our statutory obligation to house asylum seekers whilst we consider their claim for international protection.

The Home Office continues to see a higher than anticipated intake resulting in continued demand for asylum support and accommodation services. This has resulted in services users being accommodated in hotels for longer than we had envisioned. We are however taking steps to resolve this and bring an end to hotel use as contingency accommodation and continue to work across Government and with local authorities to look at a range of accommodation options. Nevertheless we continue to accommodate a large number of people who have recently arrived in the UK seeking protection and the use of hotels as a contingency measure enables the Home Office to continue to discharge its statutory duties.

Everyone across Welsh local government have been horrified to see the devastation unfolding in Ukraine. Today, WLGA Group Leaders met to discuss the growing humanitarian crisis in the country. Over the weekend WLGA Leader, Andrew Morgan wrote to Prime Minister, Boris Johnson about the conflict, and today reiterated the call for the UK Government to provide more clarity and act with greater urgency in responding to the refugee crisis. 

Leaders confirmed that Local Government in Wales is ready to do whatever it can to help those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine and are making preparations. In their letter to the Prime Minister, all the Leaders and Presiding Officer called for the current restrictive and bureaucratic visa scheme to be scrapped to enable those people trying to escape the war in Ukraine to come to Wales and find a safe place as easily and as quickly as possible. All the leaders have asked for an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State for Wales to discuss the matter. 

More detail on the routes to the UK is also urgently required so we can make progress on supporting refugees to arrive in the UK, the majority of whom are women, children and other vulnerable people. 

For more information on the crisis please visit WLGA website: Ukraine - Information and Support - WLGA 

And Welsh Government website: https://gov.wales/supporting-people-ukraine

“Everyone across Welsh local government have been horrified to see the devastation unfolding in Ukraine.

"A request for resettlement has not yet been received from the UK Government.

"Councils are experienced in helping to resettle people from war-torn countries, and they would do all they can to help support any such efforts.”

The Partnership, which is hosted by the WLGA, led the multi-agency response to coordinate support for asylum seekers placed at the site used by the Home Office as contingency accommodation between September 2020 and May 2021.

Much of the work was centred on ensuring that the people housed at the site had -access to all services that were needed - including health, voluntary sector support and legal advice - and ensuring that the local council and all partners were able to respond to the issues that accompanied the opening of the site. Setting up the site and making sure asylum seekers were properly supported, as well as ensuring adherence to Covid 19 regulations and the maintenance of community cohesion was a real challenge and a key priority for the work of the Partnership, and the critical role they played has been recognised by Dyfed Powys Police with the award presented by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn.

Councillor Susan Elsmore (Cardiff), Chair of the Wales Strategic Migration Partnership said.

“This was an exceptionally difficult undertaking, and I am delighted that the efforts of the team have been recognised in this way.

“Ever since the Home Office announced its intention to use the site to house asylum seekers at the Penally site, a raft of challenges needed to be overcome in short order to be able to welcome people who had experienced unimaginable trauma. The Wales Strategic Migration Partnership’s efforts in co-ordinating these arrangements were integral, and far from being a small feat.

“I’m pleased that the team, on behalf of all partners involved, have also shared suggestions for improvement, which we understand will be embedded into the Home Office’s future operations around contingency sites.

“This award bears testament to the power of local knowledge, empathy and perseverance, and I wish to thank all the partners who committed to work together to meet the challenge.”

ENDS

Leaders held urgent discussions with Ministers last week which has been followed by dialogue amongst officials and discussions within councils. Councils stand ready to receive refugees as part of the scheme announced by the Prime Minister.

All councils will play their part in providing accommodation and sanctuary to those who are able to leave the country.  Each authority is continuously assessing their ability to house and provide the wrap-around support to meet their needs.

Councillor Andrew Morgan (Rhondda Cynon Taf), WLGA Leader said:

“No-one can be in any doubt of the horrors unfolding in Afghanistan which we are witnessing in daily reports from the region. All councils in Wales are committed to do all they can in the ongoing efforts to provide sanctuary to the people escaping the country for fear of their safety.

 “Each council will continue to assess its own individual ability to house and meet all the needs of those seeking refuge whilst continuing to meet local demands and pressures. This will be done in partnership with local and national organisations - including the Home Office, Welsh Government the third sector, health and housing – to ensure that all resettled refugees receive the necessary and appropriate support.

 “As a Nation of Sanctuary, communities across Wales have a long and proud history of welcoming those in need of a safe haven. I’m confident that these people will be welcomed with the same kindness and generosity of spirit as they seek to rebuild their lives in the wake of unimaginable trauma.”

-ENDS-