Urgent calls to address living conditions at asylum-seeker residence after Covid-19 outbreak

Earlier this month, an outbreak of Covid-19 was identified at the Love Lane centre, which houses those seeking asylum.

It is run by the Mears Group, a housing care provider, under a Home Office contract.

In response to the outbreak, where 21 people tested positive for coronavirus Wakefield Council’s public health team took measures to safeguard residents at the centre and to ensure that the operators also took appropriate action to reduce the spread of infection.

But a home affairs select committee report published this week identified that residents are continuing to use shared rooms and bathroom facilities, despite a clear recommendation against this practice.

Wakefield Council leader Coun Denise Jeffery said: “We are extremely disappointed to learn from the report that some providers have agreed to end shared living in these type of facilities, with the Mears’ centre in Wakefield not considering this.

“The select committee has now made a clear recommendation against the use of shared rooms, yet this is being ignored for Wakefield. At a time of a global pandemic, and the threat of an imminent second wave, I am extremely concerned that this is putting the residents in the centre unnecessarily at risk.

“It is unacceptable to expect people who are not even part of the same family to be made to share bedrooms and bathrooms yet still follow all the guidance aimed at slowing the spread of the virus.

“I am now calling upon the Home Office to act quickly to make this building safe for all users or to cease its use immediately.”

A Mears spokesperson said: “We are surprised to see these comments as we have been working very closely with the council on a daily basis.

"The council is aware of all arrangements at Urban House, which have been made in conjunction with advice of Wakefield Council’s public health team. The council is aware that all people at Urban House are in single rooms, except for a small number of service users who have said they prefer to share. Single rooms are available for them to move to if they wish.

"We hope to relocate all people from Urban House within the next week as suitable alternative accommodation becomes available and we will then discuss future arrangements with Wakefield Council and the Home Office.”