'You should apologise to this chamber and the people of Derby'

COUNCILLOR ACCUSED OF MAKING ‘DISINGENUOUS REMARKS’ TO ‘GET HIS NAME IN THE PAPER’ AS HE CLAIMED COUNCIL HAD REFUSED ACTION OVER ASYLUM HOTELS

- By NIGEL SLATER

DERBY'S Conservative leader was urged to apologise for remarks he made about a council decision over asylum seeker hotels.

Labour councillors strongly hit out at “ignorant” Councillor Steve Hassall over his comments on a council refusal to take action against two city hotels.

A council report stated “it was not appropriate” to act despite the hotels being in breach of planning conditions.

Home Office data recently showed that Derby was accommodating 329 asylum seekers in the Midland Hotel and the Station Hotel, both in Midland Road.

In September Derby Conservatives won a full council vote requesting an investigation into whether or not the hotels were in breach of planning regulations.

This followed Epping Forest District Council's legal challenge against a hotel, which was lost after an appeal was made by Government officials.