FI16140

Request

  1. Have any enforcement actions, improvement notices or complaints been issued in relation to such properties? 
  2. The complaints received over past 2 years (with any personal data redacted) 
  3. How is the relationship between the police and the council managed in respect to asylum-related housing complaints? 
  4. Funding received for asylum-seeker accommodation over past 5 years, listing sources 
  5. Spend on asylum-seeker accommodation over past 5 years, per year 
  6. A forecast on spend, including funding sources, for the next 3 years inclusive (2025-26, 26-27, 27-28, 28-29) 
  7. Please provide a breakdown of number of HMOs in use for asylum vs general housing for the past five years, separated into annual figures. 
  8. Has the council been notified by the Home Office or its contractors of asylum seekers being accommodated within the district during the period from 1st April 2022 to present? If so, please provide: 
    1. The number of properties used
    2. The number of individuals places
    3. Whether advance notice was provided prior to placements  
  9. How many licensed HMOs in your area are known or suspected to be used to house asylum seekers? 
  10. Does the council monitor or track HMO licensing applications where the intended use is asylum accommodation? 
  11. Does the council hold any responsibility for oversight, safeguarding, or inspection of properties used to house asylum seekers, outside of its statutory duties under housing legislation? 
  12. Has the council received any complaints or safeguarding referrals related to asylum accommodation (including interim accommodation, hotels, or HMOs) during the above period? If so, please indicate how many and what type (e.g. disrepair, overcrowding, anti-social behaviour).  
  13. Does the council hold any service level agreements, contracts, or partnership arrangements with asylum accommodation providers (e.g. Mears, Clearsprings, Serco) for information sharing or consultation on placements?

Response

  1. The Council does not hold this information.
  2. The Council does not hold this information.
  3. The Council and Kent Police have community safety units on both sides that are fully experienced and competent in dealing with a vast range of neighbourhood and community-based issues
  4. Zero.
  5. Zero
  6. Zero.
  7. The Council does not hold this information as information about residents of HMOs are not held.
  8. The Council only recorded this information from 2022.  We have had 16 properties sent to us for consultation; we have been made aware of 6 of those properties being used.  We do not hold information about the number of individuals.
  9. The Council does not hold this information as information about residents of HMOs are not held.
  10. No.
  11. No.
  12. No.
  13. No.