MORE than 100 asylum seekers will remain marooned at a hotel for months on end if nothing is done by the Home Office to process their asylum applications, according to the leader of Colchester Council.

David King, who is approaching a year in office as council leader, travelled to Dedham on Monday to meet staff, volunteers, and residents at a branch of the Holiday Inn hotel chain, where asylum seekers have been held since November.

Mr King wrote to Home Secretary Suella Braverman earlier this month to condemn what he described as ‘a continuing and shameful lack of care for asylum seekers’ who were living in dirty conditions and forced to cope with outbreaks of scabies.

The council leader confirmed on Monday the Home Secretary had yet to respond to his urgent letter dated Friday, February 3.

Describing what he saw from his hour-long visit, Mr King said although the conditions were of an acceptable standard, he added it was a place where people are still suffering due to poor healthcare access and an extremely limited diet.

He said: “I talked primarily to their regional manager who admits they’ve had problems.

“There’s a full feel to it and there’s an anxiety in the air, which is entirely understandable given the circumstances.

“It’s plain there is pressure on the people staying there, and the people helping them adjust in a contingency hotel.

“It’s a challenging space to spend a long time in – it’s easily demoralising.”

He also took a dim view at the lack of response from Suella Braverman after he drew her attention to the issue.

“The responsibility rests with the politicians – that is just a fact.

“This is not, just not, good enough – it’s not a new fact, but as the weeks turn into months, I have to voice our concerns about what we see.

“I was mostly focussed on the staff [but] if you and I were there, we would get miserable quickly.

“It’s undignified for the individual, and not replying to key partners is disappointing – we will push for better.

"The condition the asylum seekers are in isn't catching the government's attention. It should."

Mr King is due to visit the Holiday Inn again next month.