Dudley Council leader steps in to stop cut-price comedy nights and gym classes for asylum seekers

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said he stepped in to put an immediate stop to it the moment he found out about the scheme. 

Councillor Harley said only six asylum seekers had benefited from the scheme, which was originally aimed at helping forces veterans, the disabled and people on low incomes.

Councillor Harley also moved to clarify the position about asylum seekers' accommodation in the borough amid growing online speculation. 

He said thanks to 'robust dealings' by the council there were just 72 asylum seekers living in a single hotel in the borough, out of 4,000 across the West Midlands. 

"That's one too many," he said, adding that he was preparing to take legal action against the Home Office.

It emerged this week that asylum seekers were among the groups eligible for a scheme that provided half-price swimming, gym activities and fitness classes, as well as badminton, squash, table tennis and racketball sessions.

Use of the Dell Stadium's running track and comedy nights with Russell Howard, Alan Carr and Mick Miller were also available though the scheme.

'Selected events' at Himley Hall and loans of CDs and DVDs at Dudley libraries were also included in the deal. People did not even have to live in Dudley borough to claim them.

Councillor Harley said the scheme offering cut-price access to council entertainment and leisure services was set up in 2004, and was primarily to help people on low incomes, registered carers, children in care, students, veterans and serving armed forces personnel.

"Over the last 21 years it has helped 2,400 people gain reduced entry into predominantly our leisure centres," he said.

"Obviously, some bright spark over the years decided to add asylum seekers to the extensive list of those who qualify. 

"As soon as this was highlighted, I made the decision as leader to remove this concession so no asylum seekers can gain access to this concession.

"I must add that out of the 2,400 people the scheme has helped, only six were asylum seekers but thanks to officers bringing this to our attention, they are no longer eligible."

Councillor Harley said the council had resisted pressure from Serco, the company which manages asylum seekers on behalf of the Home Office. But he said there were hotels in the borough which were housing homeless people from other local authority areas, including London and Birmingham, and there was little the council could do to prevent this. 

"Thanks to robust dealings with Serco and the Home Office, Dudley has one hotel that is used by them," he said.

"That is one hotel too many, and out of the 4,000 asylum seekers that Serco has placed in hotels throughout the West Midlands, Dudley has 72.

"There are other hotels that have homeless people from other authorities, including 97 from Birmingham and 15 from London.

"We don't have a say in how many or which hotels they are moved to."

He said the council was in the process of taking enforcement action against one of these hotels.

Councillor Harley said there were a total of 12,500 asylum seekers living across the West Midlands, but Dudley had just 600. 

"That's 600 too many, but this is like fighting with both hands tied behind your back," he said.

"The majority of these are placed in private accommodation, not council homes."

Councillor Harley said the authority's legal team was looking to follow the example of Great Yarmouth which had successfully challenged the Home Office and successfully secured an injunction against the unauthorised use of hotels for asylum use.