Joint statement from Rother District Council and East Sussex County Council

The Home Office has now confirmed that it is considering using the Northeye site in Bexhill to detain people who have come to the country without permission.

 No firm decisions have been made and the original proposal to use the site for non-detained accommodation for asylum seekers also remains open.  The Home Office has updated its factsheet on Northeye Factsheet: Bexhill asylum accommodation – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

We and all our local partners will keep working with the government to understand their intentions and make sure we speak and act in the interests of our communities and assess the impact specific plans would have for our areas, especially on local services.

It’s welcome that the Home Office promises it will share more information with all of us as plans develop, but we understand that this drawn-out uncertainty is of deep concern for many people. We continue to press for more information as soon as possible.

Ends