Home Office use of Bar Hill hotel

The Home Office recently told us that they intended to use the Cambridge Bar Hill hotel as temporary accommodation. This is due to the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats continuing to rise. Hotels are being used across the country. Arrangements at the hotel are being managed by a Home Office contractor – in this case, Serco.

The Home Office makes the decision on which properties are used. Local councils were informed that the Home Office had selected the Cambridge Bar Hill hotel for this purpose.

Local councils receive a small amount of funding from the Home Office for liaison and response co-ordination.

Who stays at a hotel is based on need and pressures within the asylum system. This information is held by the Home Office. At the start of the arrangement, the Home Office informed local councils that the Cambridge Bar Hill hotel would be used to accommodate families and single women.

At the moment we do not know how long the hotel will be used. People will be moved out as other accommodation in the asylum system is made available to them. This means that the people staying in the hotel could change over time.

After the hotel they will be moved on to other temporary dispersed accommodation provided by central government whilst their claim for asylum is considered. This could be anywhere in the country. This accommodation is not provided by the Council.

Where asylum is granted, people are recognised as refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention and are allowed to remain in the UK for five years.

Where the Home Office grants asylum, people will be given a Residence Permit; an identity document allowing the person to work, study, access public funds and find a place to live.

There is no rule to say people must settle where they have been staying while seeking asylum.

The provider has mobilised dedicated registration clinics by utilising additional clinical staff from outside of the Maple surgery staffing structure.

The registration and Health Check process has now concluded, and the new patients will receive clinical care directly by the Maple surgery staff.

No patient will be given preferential treatment, patient access is based on clinical need. The practice has increased the clinical staffing levels at Maple Surgery to support the growth in the registered patient population.

As with other GP contracts, the APMS (Alternative Provider Medical Services) contract held by the provider at Maple Surgery does not stipulate workforce requirements or service delivery model. The provider will over the coming months be reviewing the service delivery model and adapting to support the potential increase in patients. This will encompass and utilise all different clinical roles, not solely GPs.

Yes. Children residing at the hotel in Bar Hill who are of statutory school age are entitled to access education. Applications for school places will follow the standard school admission process and places will be allocated in the local area.

The contractors, Serco, are providing additional staff to ensure appropriate 24-hour, 7 days a week, on-site security cover.

Email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk or phone 01954 713000. The contractor who is overseeing the hotel, Serco, has a manager on-site and we are in contact with them daily and will raise any concerns with regard to any anti-social behaviour that is reported to us.

The local Police are aware that the hotels are being used to accommodate asylum seekers and are working closely with us and partner agencies.

The Police will deal with any reports or concerns as they would normally do so.

If you have a concern to report, please contact Cambridgeshire Police in the usual ways by either calling 101 or using their online reporting form. Only use 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger or if a crime is happening right now.

If you have any questions about the provision of the hotel, please contact the Home Office by emailing public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk

Asylum seekers are not able to claim welfare benefits, nor are they allowed to work.

Asylum seekers in hotel accommodation are provided with meals and limited hotel services and currently receive £9.10 per week from the Home Office.

The golf club will continue to be available for golf club members and visitors. No other facilities or areas at the hotel will be open to the public.

When the Home Office informed us of their decision to use the Cambridge Bar Hill Hotel for refugees seeking asylum in the UK, we had discussions with our local partners, and the Home Office, in order to carefully consider how to communicate what was happening. We understand concerns - given what has happened in some other parts of the UK. However, we also know that once guests are in the hotel the news of their stay will spread very quickly, including via media and social media. We therefore felt it was better to be transparent and honest with our communities about the Home Office’s decision.

They can be contacted on public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk or 020 7035 4848.