The Royal Borough Council spends hundreds of thousands of pounds on asylum seekers, according to a top council boss.
Adult and children executive director Kevin McDaniel told councillors sitting on the corporate overview and scrutiny panel that the local authority spends about one million pounds on people seeking asylum.
This figure, however, excludes people from Ukraine escaping the Russian invasion as those costs are fully paid by government.
According to the draft budget, the council predicts it will spend £713,000 on unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
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Speaking at the meeting on Wednesday, December 14, Mr McDaniel said they have 35 children in the Royal Borough’s system and nearly 20 care leavers – who are asylum seekers over 18-years-old.
He explained the government gives the council over £1,000 per week per person to help pay for accommodation.
The Home Office is using two hotels in Maidenhead and Datchet to house asylum seekers whilst their applications for sanctuary in the UK are being processed.
However, Mr McDaniel said that money from government does not cover the support the unaccompanied asylum children get and other associated costs, such as infrastructure.
He also said the Royal Borough is one of two local authorities within the Southeast running at 100 per cent capacity.
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When asked by Cllr John Story (Con: Ascot & Sunninghill) if there were any prospects of the government helping to pay off the £1m pressure, Mr McDaniel said: “At this point in time, it’s clear that there is no intention to change the support we are getting.
“There’s certainly nothing in the policy statements to give us any confidence in that activity.”
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