Council's legal threat over asylum seekers housed in Skegness hotels

A council has threatened legal action over the use of hotels in a seaside town to house asylum seekers.

Five hotels in Skegness are already being used to accommodate migrants as part of Home Office efforts to cope with the large number of people arriving in the UK in small boats.

East Lindsey District Council said it had caused "substantial harm" to the town's tourism economy and its "reputation as a family resort".

The council has submitted a pre-action letter which accuses the Home Office of breaking planning rules.

In a statement, the council said: "The Home Office has persistently, repeatedly and unlawfully encouraged and procured breaches of planning control."

The authority said it had received no guarantees that the government would not use further hotels to house migrants.

Council leader Craig Leyland said Skegness "depends on maintaining a thriving tourism economy."

He said: "The unlawful use of hotels as hostels, which goes against planning policy, is depleting the supply of accommodation on offer for tourists and this use is not helping our reputation as a family holiday resort which is a vital part of the local economy."

East Lindsey is the latest authority to consider legal action. East Riding of Yorkshire Council is among others to have taken steps to block the use of hotels to deal with migrants.

Matt Warman, Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness, has criticised the "unacceptable and wholly inappropriate" move by the Government and has offered his support to the council in bringing a legal challenge.

A Home Office spokesperson said that the department engages with local authorities as early as possible to ensure hotel arrangements are safe for both asylum seekers and local residents.

They said: "The number of people arriving in the UK who seek asylum and require accommodation has reached unprecedented levels, placing unprecedented pressures on the asylum system.

"While we accept that hotels do not provide a long-term solution, they do offer safe, secure and clean accommodation, and we are working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation during this challenging time."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.