Almost 200 asylum seekers will be placed in an Erskine hotel as it’s revealed no elected representatives were consulted on the proposal.
Paperwork shared with the Paisley Daily Express states 20 asylum seekers will arrive at the MGM Mutha Glasgow River Hotel every week until its 174-bed capacity is reached.
All of those housed in the former Erskine Bridge Hotel will be men aged between 18 and 40, the majority of whom have arrived from the Middle East.
The settlement programme is being managed by the Mears Group on behalf of the Home Office which is trying to accommodate the hundreds of asylum seekers arriving on the Kent coastline every month.
Both organisations were lambasted by the local community and elected representatives who only heard about the proposal through word of mouth over the weekend.
A spokesman for Erskine Community Council said the lack of consultation with the community now tasked with helping to integrate the people was dumbfounding.,
He said: “On the Mears Group webpage they make great play about contacting the local community and talking to them about what is happening. We are bitterly disappointed that they have not been in touch with us nor, as it appears, with our elected representatives.
“The community council contacted all of our representatives who told us they were no wiser than we were and told us they too had not been consulted. The reality is that they did not consult with anyone, this was a fait accompli.
“They decided that’s it done, they are coming here. Whether it is right or wrong that they are coming is a matter of conjecture but the fact that there was no consultation at all means people in Erskine are furious.”
Once full, the Erskine site will be the largest settlement of asylum seekers managed by the Mears Group in a hotel setting in Scotland.
It will be operated by two welfare support workers who will create a timetable of activities which the men can join to help them integrate into the community. English lessons will also be offered to residents.
Renfrewshire Council has so far refused to tell the Express when it was notified of the proposal or what efforts it made to notify councillors for the Erskine ward.
A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “A number of individuals seeking asylum are being accommodated locally, supported by the Mears Group, as part of a UK Government contingency accommodation and support programme.
“This means they will receive temporary accommodation, funded by the UK Government, while their application for asylum is processed.
“The council and its partners, including health, Police Scotland and third-sector community organisations, are working alongside Mears to ensure appropriate support is in place for those involved.
“Mears will engage with community members shortly, to develop greater understanding of the programme and the people it supports.
“Renfrewshire has a history of welcoming people into its communities, especially those who are displaced or in need. We are confident this occasion will be no different.”
Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said he has been in touch with all local authorities including the police and health officials after being notified of the plans.
Mr Newlands commented: “As MP for the area, I haven’t yet received formal notification that the first asylum seekers will be arriving this week.
“However, clearly I’ve received some further information from constituents and local agencies over the past few days. First and foremost, I want to make sure the right supports are in place for both residents of the hotel and the wider community.
“I am meeting with the local community council later this week and go over the issues they’ve raised and where things need to be escalated to the appropriate authorities, they will be.”
A spokesperson for the Home Office said: “The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.
“The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable – there are currently more than 45,500 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6 million a day.
“We engage with local authorities as early as possible whenever sites are used for asylum accommodation and work to ensure arrangements are safe for hotel residents and local people.”
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