Date: 29 July 2025

To: The Right Honourable Member of Parliament, Surrey County Council, Spelthorne Borough Council, and the Home Office

From: Concerned Residents, Businesses and Conservative elected Borough representatives

We, the undersigned, write with grave concern regarding the recent directive from the Home Office to convert the asylum accommodation at the Stanwell Hotel into a male-only facility.

Stanwell has already shouldered more than its fair share in supporting asylum accommodation. While our community has demonstrated compassion and tolerance, the decision to remove families and children from the hotel—some of whom were attending our local Town Farm School—and replace them with an exclusively male population is deeply troubling.

This change was made without proper consultation with local residents, community leaders, or our local services. It risks altering the character of our semi-rural village, placing unnecessary strain on local resources, and potentially creating safety and safeguarding concerns for residents—particularly women and young people.

We wish to be clear: this is not a question of race or prejudice. This is about fairness, transparency, community cohesion, and the right of Stanwell residents to feel safe and be heard in decisions that directly affect our lives and our town.

We call upon the Central Government and Home Office to immediately reverse this directive.
We further demand that:

• No changes to asylum accommodation in Stanwell be made without full and open consultation with the community.
• The needs and safety of our residents—especially our children—be made a top priority.
• A fairer distribution of asylum accommodation be implemented across all boroughs to avoid overburdening small communities like Stanwell.

Stanwell should not be treated as a dumping ground for poorly planned government policies. Our community deserves better.

We urge all concerned residents to sign this petition to stand against this decision and protect the safety, wellbeing, and integrity of our neighbourhood.

Together, we can KEEP STANWELL SAFE for all.

With sincere thanks,

Lead petitioner Cllr Karen Howkins

with the support of all Conservative Spelthorne Borough Councillors.

Promoted by Spelthorne Conservates of 13 Station Approach, Ashford, TW15 2QN