A proposal to seek a clear and public timeline for ending the use of the Best Western Hotel in Erewash as asylum accommodation has been rejected by borough councillors.
The motion, proposed by Reform UK councillor Paul Maginnis and seconded by Cllr Dan Price, was debated at Thursday evening’s Full Council meeting.
It asked council leader James Dawson to write to Erewash MP Adam Thompson, requesting that he seek:
- A clear and public timetable for the hotel to stop being used as asylum accommodation
- An assurance that no asylum seeker without a local connection would be housed in Erewash
- Consultation with the council before any significant change to asylum accommodation in the borough
Following a lengthy and at times heated debate, councillors voted against the motion by a show of hands.
Concerns raised about fairness and costs
Introducing the motion, Cllr Maginnis said the issue concerned fairness, safeguarding and the financial impact of asylum accommodation.
He also raised concerns about what could happen when the Government ends its reliance on asylum hotels, including the possibility of people being moved into houses in multiple occupation.
Cllr Maginnis referred to previous discussions about whether the council should seek an injunction relating to the use of the hotel.
Councillors had agreed in October 2025 that the authority should assess the legal position. They were subsequently advised in December that pursuing an injunction would not be in the council’s best interests following developments in a separate case involving Epping Forest District Council.
Seconding the latest motion, Cllr Price said its immediate request was straightforward.
“All we are asking is that the letter is sent to the MP for Erewash, Adam Thompson, and then he can put that forward to the Home Office,” he said.
Council leader says contact has already taken place
Council leader James Dawson said the authority was already engaging with the Home Office and that he had personally written to the department.
He said the council had continued to seek information about the use of the hotel and the Government’s future plans.
Cllr Dawson also told councillors that part of the motion could not lawfully be implemented and warned that supporting it could expose the authority to a legal challenge.
The detailed legal basis for that position was not set out during the debate.
Language challenged during debate
Green Party councillor Ann Mills challenged some of the terminology used during the discussion.
She said people staying at the hotel as asylum seekers should not automatically be described as illegal immigrants, stressing that the two terms had different meanings.
Cllr Mills also expressed concern about language which demonised or dehumanised people seeking asylum.
The debate included wider exchanges about immigration policy, small-boat crossings and the suitability of hotels as asylum accommodation.
Conservatives support motion but criticise its scope
Conservative group leader Wayne Major supported the motion but said writing a letter did not amount to a wider plan for addressing the issues surrounding small-boat crossings and asylum accommodation.
“We now have a motion in front of us that doesn’t have a plan,” he said. “All it is, is: let’s write a letter. That’s not a plan.”
Despite that criticism, Cllr Major said he would vote in favour of the proposal.
Labour councillor calls for calmer debate
Labour councillor Joel Bryan said there appeared to be broad agreement among councillors that hotels were unsuitable places in which to accommodate asylum seekers.
He said he hoped the Best Western would close as asylum accommodation but described the motion before the council as flawed.
Cllr Bryan also called for a calmer discussion, arguing that councillors had a responsibility to avoid language which could increase tension within the community.
Motion defeated
After councillors had concluded the debate, the motion was put to a vote by a show of hands and defeated.
The council will therefore not send the letter requested by the motion.
However, councillors were told that the authority and its leader had already contacted the Home Office about the use of the hotel and the Government’s plans for asylum accommodation.