Mims Davies MP Statement on Crowborough and the Cadets

The Home Office has delayed moving asylum seekers into the wholly unsuitable Crowborough Training camp. Huge congratulations to all from the community and nearby who have been part of this process to get answers and secure this partial win.  Here is the latest update I have. 

Nusrat Ghani MP on X: "🗣️Crowborough Update with neighbouring MP, @mimsdavies who has helped us secure a win over the Home Office delay on Asylum Seekers. 👏🏽Both Mims and @KieranMullanUK have been a great support in UK Parliament, tabling in excess of 40 Ministerial Questions, and helping in debates https://t.co/OxvPgVj2LW" / X

I am very pleased to have supported, and worked with, my neighbouring MPs, Nus Ghani for the Sussex Weald (in which Crowborough lies) and Dr Kieran Mullan for Bexhill & Battle to fight this Home Office decision as it affects so many of our constituents living in the towns and villages nearby. Between us, we have tabled nearly 40 Ministerial questions, Urgent Questions, written Ministerial letters as well as pitching in with debates and meetings.

Mims Davies MP joins Home Office Minister, Nus Ghani MP and Crowborough Shield on Asylum Seekers | Mims Davies

Along with the highly motivated and cohesive Crowborough community and groups like Crowborough Shield, we have placed relentless pressure on the Home Office to achieve this win…for now. As Nus said,

‘This is progress, and a small win for every Crowborough resident who has joined me via my petition and in directly challenging the Home Office and Wealden District Council with emails and letters. It is obvious that plans began to unravel for the Home Office when they were challenged by me and our 500 strong local residents at my first public meeting on 10th November, when basic questions were raised over the site safety, Crowborough Cadets, and lack of consultation.
 
The Home Office's plans have only been disrupted by the difficult and uncomfortable challenges we have raised. They were not expecting us to be co-ordinated, across the detail and determined to hold them to account. 

People are now very aware of the problems that often accompany large influxes of asylum seekers being accommodated in our towns and villages and they are starting to say no. It is incumbent on the Labour Government, as the Government of the day, to listen and act.

On the 4th of November, I wrote to the Home Office on behalf of my constituents about the proposed use of Crowborough Training Camp for asylum accommodation and am sharing the response from the Minister for Border Security & Asylum, Alex Norris MP, in which he sets out the Labour Government’s position on this issue, including on security and safeguarding:

Mims Davies MP shares Home Office Letter regarding Crowborough Training Camp | Mims Davies

Constituents have also written sharing their concerns about the future of the cadets who use the Camp. For those unfamiliar with this aspect of the Home Office decision to house single male asylum seekers here, the Crowborough Camp is not only home to the ACF Detachment but also to the Sea Cadets, Air Cadets, and the Sussex Army Cadet Training Centre — the main site where nearly all Sussex ACF training takes place.

This means that around 100 local young people would lose the opportunity to attend weekly parade nights, and approximately 120 cadets attending weekend training events would be left without a suitable alternative. I was told,

‘These cadet activities are invaluable — they give young people purpose, discipline, and leadership skills, keeping them active and engaged in positive development. Losing Crowborough Camp would be a devastating blow to youth development in Sussex’

Initially, the Home Office suggested that the Cadets could continue operating from the site after it would accommodate 600 male asylum seekers. Led by Nus, we raised strong objections to this bizarre and unworkable idea, and insisted on alternative arrangements being made urgently.

As a result, an Army Cadet Force parent communication was sent on December the 1st, explaining that cadet activity would ‘temporarily pause from 5 December’, and a promise to ‘share what plans are being drawn up to ensure that opportunities for cadets remain available for local children’ was made by Luke Pollard, the MoD Minister on the 9th December in which he said he was, ‘committed to resolving the future location of cadet activities swiftly’ and that his team were, ‘scoping options to ensure that cadet activity can continue at the earliest opportunity, both for routine weeknight training & also for residential camps, ensuring that the benefits of cadets can continue to be enjoyed with minimum disruption.’

You can read the full letter here:

Response from MoD Minister Luke Pollard MP | Nus Ghani

As you heard in my latest clip at the top of the statement, an alternative site for the cadets has still not been confirmed, despite the Labour Minister saying, ‘We will be in a position to update all those involved in cadets of future plans prior to Christmas.’

I can assure constituents that we are watching very closely to ensure suitable funded provision is found – this means

1. A location for the units that routinely parade there (local)
2. A new location for the cadet training centre

Under the previous Conservative Government, the Crowborough site was rejected outright due to its layout. the difficulty in it being adapted and the extra costs that would be involved, including relocating the Cadets. Furthermore, modifying the site would put it in conflict with the local Council’s Crowborough National Landscape and planning policy.

If you are a resident of East Grinstead, Uckfield, and the villages please do click on the link below to sign my petition.

No Asylum Housing - Crowborough Training Camp | Mims Davies

The New Year will bring new challenges and your support will be vital.