The leader of a council has slammed the Home office and Serco after the first asylum seekers were brought to a Lancashire hotel under the cover of darkness.

Overnight on Sunday, around 50 asylum seekers arrived at Blackpool's Metropole Hotel, following several weeks of discussions over their controversial placing. 

The move comes despite concerns and protestations from Blackpool Council, MPs and local residents; and after the council halted proceedings, issuing a warning to Britannia Hotels, the company which owns Metropole.

The relocation had been approved by the Home Office despite the council, police and health leaders raising several questions about the rationale of placing vulnerable people in such a high-profile tourist location without undertaking any proper consultation with public services, in particular the NHS, police and the local authority, at a time when all public services are already under enormous pressure.

Earlier this month, Leader of Blackpool Council, Cllr Lynn Williams, said: "We have served notice on Britannia Hotels advising that if they close the hotel and use it for the purpose of housing asylum-seekers they will need planning permission for a change of use of the building.

"If they ignore that advice, we will issue a temporary stop notice and enforce if necessary.”

It is believed that more asylum seekers will continue to arrive throughout Monday and into the week.

In an updated statement issued on Monday, Cllr Williams said: “We have strongly and repeatedly expressed to the Britannia Hotel Group, Serco and the Home Office, that the proposed use of this accommodation requires planning consent which is not in place.

"That view has not changed. We also remain of the firm view that this hotel, in this location, is wholly unsuitable for the purpose of accommodating and supporting asylum seekers.

“On Wednesday last week we were assured by the Home Office and Serco that we would be informed in advance of any arrivals, and that nobody would be placed in the hotel before Monday at the earliest.

Warning to Lancashire hotel over 220 migrant relocation plan

"This assurance was given at the explicit request of local health leaders, who have repeatedly evidenced the unprecedented level of demand facing local health services.

“It is therefore extremely disappointing that the Home Office and Serco chose to break this agreement and place people over the weekend without notifying local services.

"This is no way for central government departments and their contractors to behave, and seriously undermines our trust in them.

“We are further disappointed that this has taken place after we informed all parties that as Britannia was not accepting of our position, we were seeking injunctive action that would prevent the proposed use.

"This would have been heard in court today and I am saddened that they have acted in a way that smacks of a deliberate move to frustrate the justice system.

“We will be working with our partners to ensure that the appropriate support is in place for the very vulnerable families and children who have arrived with us here in Blackpool.

"Their placement at the Metropole is not of their choosing and I hope our community will show compassion and understanding for the time that they are here.

“In the meantime, and in the light of the changed circumstances, we are reviewing our legal position and will take appropriate action if we are able to do so.”

Lancashire Telegraph: