I am writing to provide constituents with an update on the actions I have taken recently with regard to the Copthorne Hotel.
As you may know, I have raised the issue of the Copthorne Hotel having been in prolonged use as an asylum hotel and the impact of this on the lives of my constituents in the village at every opportunity - in the House, during meetings with the previous Labour Immigration Minister, in Shadow Cabinet meetings and while supporting my neighbouring MP ‘s fight against the Crowborough asylum camp.
I held a meeting on the 13th of July with various representatives from local councils, the police and the Home Office where I again raised the anti-social behaviour, illegal working, groups of men causing concern and the feeling of not being safe that have been brought to me by residents in Copthorne village. I was very grateful to Worth Parish Council who had also written to me to raise their increasing concerns on the continuing use of the Copthorne Hotel as an asylum hotel.
As I wrote in my letter to the new Immigration Minister (as soon as they were announced after Andy Burnham became Labour’s new prime minister during the summer),
‘I recently organised a stakeholder meeting involving local partners and relevant agencies, including the Home Office, and I was grateful for their attendance. Those around the table were clear that, while third-party providers and statutory agencies continue to manage the day-to-day operation of the site professionally, the overall risk environment is becoming more challenging. The shared assessment was that pressures are increasing rather than decreasing and that social tensions within the local community are becoming more pronounced’
I wanted to make sure the Copthorne Hotel was high on her agenda at the start of the September session and have requested a meeting as a matter of urgency.
I have attached a link to the letter here: Mims Davies MP Letter to Immigration Minister July 26 | Mims Davies
Signatures started to be collected for a parliamentary petition (paper) on Monday 3rd of August calling for the Copthorne Hotel to be returned to its former use as a major local employer, valuable Gatwick Airport accommodation and most importantly, a highly valued community and social hub for the village. I will present this petition in the House on behalf of Copthorne residents in the September session.
The online version is now live and the link is here: A Petition for Copthorne Hotel to return to its former use | Mims Davies
Finally, I have written to the Home Office, local police, the Police and Crime Commissioner and various local authorities to raise the collated reports of illegal working and anti-social behaviour that have been brought to me by residents of Copthorne in recent months. I am very grateful for your taking the time to share these with me– it really helps me to understand the situation in Copthorne more fully.
Mims Davies MP Letter to Home Secretary and other Stakeholders August 26 | Mims Davies
I would encourage you to keep reporting all crimes, no matter how small. The more you and others report illegal working, anti-social behaviour, crime and other incidents, the more evidence the authorities have and their allocation of resources will have to take this need into account. This will allow the police to see what is happening in Copthorne and allocate the necessary resources.
The Home Office and the police are also stretched by having to cover the hotspots of Brighton and Crawley and I have been told that we absolutely need to report everything from our more rural locations as this is how they decide how to allocate their resources. I appreciate this is far from ideal but they are very clear they need reports and they need evidence to act – photos, number plates, names of businesses on pick up trucks and so on.
At the, I was informed that ‘Sussex Police reported 23 incidents since 1 April, six of which were directly related to the hotel. Under-reporting was identified as a significant issue, with residents encouraged to report incidents through official channels rather than relying on social media.’
Reporting and sharing on social media will not be enough to build a full picture of the problem and put pressure on the authorities to act. So I would urge you and others to report what you are seeing on the ground in Copthorne and I have provided the Home Office information for doing so here:
To report instances of illegal working in the UK, you can use the following methods:
It is important to report illegal working to the Home Office as it is a criminal offence to undertake work when you know or have reasonable cause to believe that the person is disqualified from working by reason of their immigration status.
The Home Office takes reports of crime made by the general public very seriously. If you suspect that someone is working illegally, has no right to be in the UK or is involved in smuggling or other criminal activity, we want to hear from you.
You can submit information anonymously or you can give us your name and address if you wish. We will treat any information you give us as confidential.
Answer the questions as fully as you can but do not put yourself at risk by trying to find out more information.
To report a crime on line visit: https://www.police.uk/pu/contact-the-police/report-a-crime-incident/ If you do not use a computer or wish to call it’s 999 if it’s an emergency or 101 for any other type of crime.
Regarding anti-social behaviour (ASB): As well as reporting ASB issues via the link above to the police, it can also be reported to Mid Sussex District Council either via this link https://online.midsussex.gov.uk/article/1005/Anti-Social-Behaviour-Report or emailing [email protected] or by calling 01444 477489.
I would advise you report any issues to both the Police and the Council, to make them both aware of the issues occurring. You can make a Multi-Agency Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review request if you have complained about three separate incidents in the last 6 months to: The Council, The Police, or a registered housing provider/social landlord and you feel the incidents have not been investigated fully.
Please be assured, I have been continuing to work on this issue on behalf of my constituents alongside my colleagues. We have also been relentless in the wider fight against illegal immigration; without stopping this practice, the issue of asylum hotels, camps, full dispersal in communities and unsuitable HMOs will not end. You can read our Conservative Party’s detailed, ready to go from Day 1 Borders Plan here in Our Plan to get Britain back on Track
