The dispersal of asylum seekers from the south east to the rest of the country is to be stepped up following recent violent clashes in Dover
Local authorities fear the situation in Kent has reached crisis proportions on a par with the influx of refugees during the conflict in Kosovo.

The Local Government Association this week wrote to councils and housing associations urging them to offer their empty homes to alleviate the crisis.

Chairman Sir Jeremy Beecham appealed for "any empty stock, either council or registered social landlord, to accommodate asylum seeking families" in order to ease the "pressure and local tensions increasing in some parts of the south east".

Beecham praised councils for responding "magnificently" to the needs of Kosovan refugees, and called on them to meet with councillors, housing directors and housing associations to aid asylum seekers.

The move is expected to spark a massive increase in the "voluntary" distribution of asylum seekers, which is currently on a small, low-key scale.

An LGA spokeswoman said the appeal was aimed at showing the public the situation was being dealt with effectively by councils, although she denied that it was an emergency.

"The difference with the previous appeal is that was short term. Housing asylum seekers is a long-term commitment. We cannot expect local authorities to snap their fingers and find accommodation."

Kent county council said it would be sending a delegation to meet with Home Office ministers and senior civil servants later this week.

The Home Office said local authorities had to carry out dispersal voluntarily until the Immigration and Asylum Bill is given royal assent.

A spokeswoman said: "We are hoping that local authorities will agree with each other and work together to redistribute the asylum seekers."

The National Housing Federation urged housing associations to proceed cautiously when taking part in the dispersal programme.

Policy officer Fahmeeda Gill said: "Dispersal needs to be carried out sensitively, and if RSLs get involved they need to be working with refugee groups."

The news comes after the Home Office announced it would be holding seminars in Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff and Glasgow where it intends to establish cluster areas for asylum seekers.

The seminars are intended to set out in more detail the way the support arrangments for asylum seekers will operate.

The move is backed by an advertising campaign appealing for councils, housing associations and private landlords to free up accommodation.

Source

Housing Today