Immigration and Nationality Directorate Jeremy Oppenheim Acting Senior Director

							                           Immigration and Nationality Directorate
                                        Jeremy Oppenheim
                Acting Senior Director – Asylum Support, Casework and Appeals
         7th Floor West, Whitgift Centre, Block B, Wellesley Road, Croydon CR9 1AT.
                                   Direct Line 020 8604 6844
                                       Fax 020 8604 6887
                                    www.homeoffice.gov.uk
                                                         Our Ref
Providers of section 4                                   Your Ref
accommodation                                           Date        26 July 2005




Dear Sir,

SECTION 4 ACCOMMODATION PROVISION: COMMUNICATION WITH LOCAL
AUTHORITIES

In providing accommodation for both asylum seekers and failed asylum seekers, it is important that
we work with regional stakeholders. This facilitates local strategic planning, particularly in respect
of housing planning and urban regeneration, ensuring adequacy of local services and maintaining
good community cohesion.

The rapid increase in successful applicants of section 4 accommodation since December placed our
major providers under pressure to procure, within a short space of time, adequate and suitable
accommodation to meet our needs. This did not necessarily allow time for consultation with local
parties to be built in, although there is already a requirement in the contracts to consult with the
local authorities for all HMO premises, where many section 4 applicants, as singles, are likely to
be housed. In response to concerns raised by some local authorities and MPs, I wish to ensure that
this consultation process is now established in areas where we provide section 4 accommodation.

Under the new dispersal accommodation contracts there will be requirements for providers to
consult with local authorities regarding intended placements and to understand the wider context.
It is important that a similar consultation process is extended to include section 4 accommodation.

NASS Commercial are already raising the issue of need for consultation by section 4 providers with
local authorities, but I would like to endorse this. Please ensure you now consult and liaise with
local authorities and other regional stakeholders as may be identified, both in respect of
procurement of section 4 accommodation and ongoing use. I am encouraged that meetings have
already been arranged with some local authorities.

Yours faithfully



Jeremy Oppenheim
Action Senior Director
Asylum Support, Casework and Appeals


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                      BUILDING A SAFE, JUST AND TOLERANT SOCIETY