Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber has written to the Home Secretary outlining his concerns about the impact of the proposed MOD Bicester asylum accommodation on community safety and police resources.

In the letter he says: “Residents in the villages and town near your proposed site at Bicester have genuine concerns about the impact of these proposals on their safety and security. I will continue work with the Chief Constable to ensure the strongest possible police response, but we will need additional resources from the Home Office and given the open nature of the site we know that there will be an increased risk to the public.

“We must expect an increase in crime as a result of the Government’s proposals. Experience in Thames Valley is that as a minimum we can expect crime to take place between asylum seekers. We have seen this in asylum hotels and the size of the proposed camp near Bicester will only increase the scale of the problem. It is naïve to consider that such a large population of single men will not bring with it a greater risk of violent and sexual offences. Yesterday, the Minister said that public safety was and always will be right at the forefront of government thinking on housing asylum seekers. This is not how local residents feel.

“I have agreed with Thames Valley Police that they will need to increase the local policing presence in the area, to reassure residents and to tackle an inevitable increase in crime. Without significant additional funding, this will come at an unacceptable cost to local taxpayers and a reduction in policing services elsewhere.

“I urge the Home Office to reconsider the plans for the use of MOD Bicester as an asylum camp altogether. However, if the Government is minded to continue with this proposal you must provide full cost recovery to Thames Valley Police.”

Read a copy of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s letter in full.

In September, Matthew Barber also wrote to the Minister for Border Security and Asylum about the funding arrangements for policing the proposed site but has yet to receive a response.