Two hotels in Hove where “unaccompanied asylum-seeking children” were billeted are no longer being used as a temporary home for the youngsters.
The use of the two hotels, along with a third nearby hotel where families have been housed, attracted criticism because the premises are owned by the family of Hove landlord Nicholas Hoogstraten.
It was suggested that Mr Hoogstraten, who has changed his name to Nicholas Adolf von Hessen, was not the most suitable proprietor.
It was also suggested that since last July, when the first unaccompanied child refugees arrived after Kent County Council said that it had no more capacity, he and his family’s hotels had grossed a seven-figure sum.
Green councillor Hannah Clare, who has raised concerns about the situation on a number of occasions, said: “I can confirm that there are currently no unaccompanied asylum-seeking children being held in the two hotels which are being used as an extension of the Kent intake centre in our city.”
She was speaking at a meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee at Hove Town Hall today (Monday 7 March).
Although the connection to Mr Hoogstraten has prompted questions and attracted publicity, Councillor Clare credited the changes to a government policy announcement by a Home Office minister before Christmas.
Kevin Foster, the Minister for Safe and Legal Migration, wrote to all councils with responsibility for children’s services across the country last November.
Mr Foster told them that the government would temporarily “mandate the National Transfer Scheme” so that children would not necessarily be looked after in the area where they first arrived in Britain which, in practice, was often Kent.
The Home Office said: “Under this change, all local authorities have been given legal notice to accept transfers of children into their care, providing crucial placements to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
“The decision to mandate the scheme is vital to ensure unaccompanied asylum-seeking children receive the critical care they need and end the use of hotels for them following the unprecedented recent pressure placed on the asylum system.
“While many local authorities have been providing support under the voluntary scheme announced in the summer, this is a national issue that requires all local authorities play their part.
“Therefore, urgent steps must be taken to ensure immediate fuller participation that is fair for all local authorities with children’s services across all parts of the country.”
Councillor Clare credited the policy change for bringing to an end the use of the hotels in Hove.
She said: “Late last year the government made accepting transfers under the ‘National Transfer Scheme’ mandatory for a temporary period.
“This temporary period of mandation meant that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children were supported by other local authorities quickly.
“And therefore the hotels which were operating as that extension of the Kent intake centre, were able to be emptied.”
It was something, she said, that she had repeatedly spoken about and written to the government about and she was delighted to share some positive news about the situation.
