Many of you will have seen recent reports and open letters about the Home Office’s decision to use the Crowborough Training Camp to house up to 600 asylum seekers. I know this may cause anxiety and confusion in our community, not least because of the way information has been shared (or, more accurately, not shared) by the Government.

Unfortunately, our local MP’s and some other local politicians have tried to suggest that Wealden District Council deliberately failed to consult residents on this decision. We made no decision, because we have no power to do so, nor have we been involved in any negotiations.

The decision to use the camp to house asylum seekers is one made entirely by the Home Office through the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Migration, Mike Tapp MP. It clearly forms part of the governments approach to ending the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers. But unfortunately, we have a Home Office, that even the Secretary of State, recognises is not fit for purpose.

The decision was made centrally, by the Home Office and Ministry of Defence under existing emergency powers (the General Permitted Development Order 2015). This means neither Wealden District Council nor East Sussex County Council, have any power to approve or reject the plan.

The training camp is Ministry of Defence Land (part of the Crown Estate) and therefore decisions over its use are for the Government. There is no planning legislation that Wealden can apply to object to a change of use – a recent attempt by another local authority was thrown out by the High Court. The suggestion by local MP’s that Wealden "should swiftly reject any planning application" show a profound ignorance of planning laws.

Wealden District Council and other local bodies were informed confidentially by the Home Office on 10^th October, alongside other local public bodies such as the Police, Fire Service, NHS and East Sussex County Council. All were instructed to keep the information confidential until the Government chose to make it public. Formal confirmation only being received this week. Claims that the Council “hid” information or “failed to consult” are untrue.

All the information we have managed to get from the Home Office, including the letter we sent to the Minister, is on our website: www.wealden.gov.uk/crowborough-army-camp I encourage you to read that rather than ill-informed social media speculation.

For my part, I do not support this approach of housing large numbers of people in this way. They are, in fact a sign of failure by successive governments to properly invest in assessing asylum applications. It is a broken system that does not deliver for asylum seekers or local communities. I believe we need a better and more humane and efficient way of assessing whether someone is a genuine refugee, greater investment in community support schemes, enabling refugees to work and support themselves and contribute to the country, whilst awaiting a decision on their application.

In the meantime, local politicians and community leaders now have a choice. Whether to engage in misleading and divisive rhetoric or work constructively in partnership to seek clarity, build community cohesion and keep all members of our community safe. I know that the three political parties making up the Alliance for Wealden choose the latter. I hope you will join us.

As ever I am happy to respond to any issues and questions,

Best wishes,

Graham

Graham Shaw, Alliance for Wealden

Green Party Councillor for Buxted,