Fury as taxpayer cost of policing migrant army base revealed as £5.5m | UK | News
Monitoring a controversial migrant camp in East Sussex could cost taxpayers more than £5.5 million, according to reports. So far some 27 men have been moved to the former army site, where the Home Office plans to accommodate up to 526 people as part of a bid to end the use of hotels for asylum. The site has been confirmed to include 24/7 security, CCTV and police checks for all new arrivals; But comprehensive measures that could address local people’s concerns about the risk to their communities could also take a larger share of the public budget.
Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Kay Bourne said: Mail It was stated that the total cost of providing the necessary officers, technology and security on site could be £ 5.5 million. Ms Bourne demanded that the Home Office pay the bill, which was drawn up by Sussex Police on the assumption that the camp would remain in use for 12 months.
It comes after three men were arrested following two incidents of disorder outside the former army base which police said involved “threatening and intimidating behaviour”.
A 36-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman from Crowborough and a 54-year-old man from Newhaven were detained on suspicion of an offense under the Public Order Act on Saturday morning.
Thousands of Crowborough residents have taken to the town’s streets every weekend since it was revealed the site had been transferred from the Ministry of Defense (MoD) to the Home Office last October.
Many expressed concerns about safety, lack of consultation and impact on local children; A large-scale demonstration was planned for Sunday, January 25, after the first group of immigrants was “smuggled” into the region overnight this week.
A Crowborough Shield residents group has raised more than £96,000 through crowdfunding for legal action after condemning the Home Office for a “lack of transparency” over its decision to convert the base into migrant accommodation.
Andrew Tuck, 75, who has lived in the area for 38 years, told The Express: “Personally I think the government needs to sit down and take responsibility for what they need to do, which is to protect the residents of this country. We need to come first.”
Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood vowed to “vigorously” defend any legal objections during a visit to the site on Thursday.
He told reporters: “I understand the strength of emotion, but I also believe that getting out of asylum hotels is absolutely crucial for the country.
“We should never have used asylum hotels to house illegal immigrants.”
