Agenda item

The Leader, or their nominee, to answer questions from Councillors on matters affecting the Borough, in accordance with Standing Order 14.

Two questions have been received (see attached)

The Mayor reported that two general questions had been received, in accordance with Standing Order 15, from Councillor Buck.

Question 1:

Will the Leader of the Council set out what specific actions Spelthorne Borough Council has taken to alleviate the fear and anxiety felt by residents in Stanwell since Home Office announced plan to place about 100 undocumented young males at Stanwell Hotel, and what concrete steps have been taken to prevent Home Office from placing unchecked young males Stanwell Hotel?

Response from the Leader:

As Leader of the Council, I have repeatedly written to the relevant Ministers requesting that the decision be reconsidered, that the hotel revert primarily to family use, and that a face-to-face meeting be arranged to discuss these matters in detail. To ensure transparency, the Council has openly published this correspondence on our website and shared updates via social media to keep residents fully informed.

Senior Council officers have met regularly with the Police at the highest level to review policing arrangements and to ensure that the local community is appropriately protected. Instances of criminal activity have involved individuals travelling into Stanwell from outside the area; and these matters have been addressed by the Police and the Courts.

The Government has stated its commitment to ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers. The Home Office is responsible for placing residents in the hotel, and the Council does not have legal authority over its use for this purpose. However, I can confirm that the number of residents currently accommodated at the hotel is at its lowest level and is nowhere near the figure of 100 that has been quoted.

Yesterday, I wrote to Alex Norris, Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, seeking clarification on a number of important points, including written confirmation of when the Home Office asylum accommodation contract with the hotel’s owners is due to expire.

I remain committed to keeping residents informed and ensuring their voices are heard and further updates will be provided as progress is made.

In accordance with Standing Order 14.2, Councillor Buck asked the following supplementary question:

“I sent a letter to the Minister and received a direct reply from the Home Office. Can the Leader tell us why my letter has been answered and hers has not?”

Response from the Leader:

Councillor Buck, this is very difficult to answer but at the time of you writing your letter you were a Labour Councillor so maybe this was the reason.

Question 2:

The Council contributes 14% of Council Tax Revenue contributed by hard working taxpayers of Spelthorne to Surrey Police.  The latest crime statistics in Spelthorne are shocking:

Serious Sexual Offences – up 11%

Assaults on police officers – up 24%

Drug offences – up by 30%

Possession of knives and blades – up by an alarming rate of 79%

Does the Council have an up to date Community Safety Strategy to protect our residents and what concrete actions has the council actually taken to protect our residents and where is the evidence that any of it is working?

Response from the Leader:

Thank you for your question. While most of the crimes you mention are dealt with by the police, the Council also takes practical steps to help keep residents safe and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.

We work closely with the police and other partners and have a clear Community Safety Partnership Plan that sets out our priorities. Each year, we also ask local residents for their views on crime and anti-social behaviour, and we use this feedback alongside crime data to decide what to focus on.

The Council coordinates local safety partnerships and holds regular meetings with the police and other services to identify problem areas and take action.

Some of the key things we do include:

• Enforcing rules in public spaces to tackle anti-social behaviour, which are already showing positive results.
• Running and monitoring CCTV cameras to support investigations, prosecutions, and public reassurance.
• Working with the police on targeted operations in areas with higher crime.
• Delivering education and awareness campaigns on issues like domestic abuse, scams, water safety, and youth safety.
• Supporting youth projects that steer young people away from anti-social behaviour, with plans to expand these further.

These are just some of the ways the Council helps prevent crime and keep our communities safe. More detail is available in our Community Safety Plan on the Council’s website.

In accordance with Standing Order 14.2, Councillor Buck asked the following supplementary question:

“Staines is now declared the most dangerous place in Surrey. Since submitting my questions, there has been two instances of stabbings in Stanwell and given that the crime figures are rising at an alarming rate, when can residents expect an integrated plan that generally tackles crime in the Borough?”

Response from the Leader:

“This question does need to be submitted to the Borough Commander. I will forward your question onto him and advise you of his response.”

Meeting concluded 22.52