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Councillor Ian Cooper, leader of Staffordshire County Council, reacted angrily to a report by the home affairs select committee which said 'flawed contracts' and 'incompetent delivery' left the Home Office relying on hotels as 'go-to solutions' rather than temporary stop-gaps. The MPs said expected costs had tripled to more than £15 billion and not enough had been done to recoup excess profits. Councillor Cooper said: "For far too long, hotels in the county and across the country have become the default accommodation for asylum seekers. "Hotels were block-booked with no regard to the suitability of the accommodation, concerns of residents or the impact on local business and the economy. "The report shows this was ill-thought-out from the start and the squandering of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on costly hotels is nothing short of a disgrace.” The Government says it is now exploring the use of military bases and disused properties as an alternative. Councillor Cooper said earlier this year the county council raised concerns with the Government about the continued use of Staffordshire hotels without consultation with the council, communities and partners.
