The Leader of Milton Keynes City Council has told MKFM that other places across the country need to 'step up' and 'deliver their fair share' when it comes to housing those seeking asylum in the UK.
Over the past few months, two hotels have been allegedly earmarked as potential asylum seeker accommodation by the Home Office.
In September, Milton Keynes City Council revealed it believed a hotel by the M1 services in Newport Pagnell would be used to home 250 asylum seekers. Shortly after, the MP for Milton Keynes North, Ben Everitt, took to X to confirm that the Home Office had said it would not be adding another 'asylum hotel'.
This came just after plans to use Harben House Hotel fell through after it was revealed to be owned by a convicted criminal.
In an exclusive interview with MKFM, the Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, Councillor Peter Marland, has said he has got "no problem" with Milton Keynes taking its "fair share" but has said he finds it 'odd' when the city already has asylum hotels, but other places have none.
The City Council leader explained that when families or individuals are granted asylum refugee status, the local authority then has a housing duty to them if they're unable to find a property in the time frame given them before they're moved out of their Home Office funded accommodation.
At the moment, this time frame is 3 days, Peter Marland says.
"Imagine being told you are now safe, you get to stay in Britain, you've now got three days to find a house," he said, "that is ridiculous."
Currently in Milton Keynes, with the current housing situation, for every house on the market there is around 30 rental enquiries.
"The idea that people could find a house in three days is nonsense. The council then has a housing duty to them," he added.
The City Council Leader told MKFM that as they move the families or individuals from hotels, the Home Office puts more in. "It's then another family to find housing for and it's just not fair when some other places have no asylum hotels.
"To me, Milton Keynes is a welcoming place, we've shown that with Syrians, Ukranians, Afghans, with all people that come to this country and need asylum, but other places in this country also have to step up and deliver their fair share to people in need."
He added: "Milton Keynes is a place that lots of people have come over the years and made a new life for themselves but in general, it is about taking the council's fair share, and we've taken more than our fair share, we continue to find people homes but it is not fair that other places, particularly places quite nearby, are not taking any."
MKFM reported last month that a bridging hotel was returned to the community after 'enough housing' was found for the refugees living in it.
You can hear more from the interview with Cllr Peter Marland here.
