A proposal to block the use of hotels for migrant accommodation in Warrington has been defeated after a heated council debate. The motion, brought forward by Conservative councillor Rob Tynan, was voted down by 46 votes to three.
The motion had called for legal advice on injunctions to prevent hotels in Woolston and Grappenhall, including the Holiday Inn and Fir Grove Hotel, from being used to house migrants. Tynan said many residents were frustrated that decisions were made without consultation, arguing that local services were already under pressure.
Seconded by Reform UK councillor John Roddy, the motion also demanded the government close all migrant hotels in Warrington and deport asylum seekers whose claims had failed. It suggested hotel use was unsustainable and placed disproportionate strain on local communities.
Labour councillors, however, strongly opposed the proposal. Cabinet member Nathan Sudworth said the current situation was created by the former Conservative government, which signed billion-pound contracts with private firms to open asylum hotels nationwide. He argued Labour was now working to speed up asylum decisions and reduce hotel use.
Sudworth told the meeting: “It’s the Conservatives who created this chaos, it’s Labour fixing it.” He added that asylum hotels were a short-term measure and confirmed Labour’s commitment to ending their use once processing backlogs were cleared.
Tynan, who represents Rixton and Woolston, insisted he was responding to growing concerns from residents. After the meeting, he said: “Our residents were never asked if they wanted hotels turned into migrant hostels – it was just done. Local services are at breaking point.”
He further criticised the policy, claiming Labour was giving priority to “illegal migrants” while local families continued to wait years for housing. His remarks sparked further debate about how best to balance community needs with the government’s immigration system.
The defeat of the motion means Warrington Council will not pursue injunctions against migrant hotels, but councillors on both sides acknowledged the urgency of addressing long-term solutions for housing and asylum processing in the borough.