The Government has told Herefordshire Council it intends to use the Talbot Hotel in Leominster as "contingency accommodation" for asylum seekers.

This would be in addition to the current use of the Three Counties Hotel in Hereford for this purpose, the Home Office has said.

The council has written back to the Home Office to say it is very aware of the pressure on the system of asylum seekers and outlining Herefordshire’s already significant track record in recent years of participating in government migration schemes.

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"We have a number of concerns which we outlined in our response to the Home Office and will do so again when we meet with them and the regional Strategic Migration Partnership and local partner organisations later this week," the council said.

Currently closed to visitors, the 31-bed Talbot Hotel has recently had an agreement with the council to provide accommodation to homeless people.

The council says on its website: "Herefordshire has a proud history of welcoming and supporting refugees and asylum seekers.

"It is hoped that asylum seekers coming to Herefordshire will continue to receive the same warm welcome."