A council is "extremely angry" with the Home Office for booking out a hotel for asylum seekers without liaising with the local authority.

Ashford Borough Council says the government has "shown a complete disregard for us and the local community".

Since last week, a hotel in the town has been used to house asylum seekers who have arrived in the county after travelling across the Channel.

But council leader Gerry Clarkson (Con) says the "situation cannot continue".

“We have no control over this decision at all, and are extremely angry at the Home Office on how they have handled this situation," he said.

"They have ignored not only our views, but those of Kent County Council, Kent Police and local health services. They have shown a complete disregard for us and the local community, and this situation cannot continue.

“All Kent and Medway local authority leaders are writing jointly to the Secretary of State for the Home Office to ask her to stop using the county as an easy fix for what is a national, strategic issue.”

The Home Office says it recognises the use of hotels is "unacceptable", however, they will continue to be used.

“The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain," a spokesperson said.

“The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable – there are currently more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6million a day.

"The use of hotels is a short-term solution and we are working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation.”

Speaking in the Commons yesterday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “We need to be straight with the public. The system is broken.

“Illegal migration is out of control."