Falkirk Council chief says protests outside asylum hotel don't reflect community values

Falkirk Council’s chief executive says he wants to challenge “misinformation” following an angry protest on Saturday when around 1,000 anti-immigration protesters gathered around a former hotel being used to house asylum seekers.

Chief executive Kenneth Lawrie told Falkirk Council’s executive said that he wanted to address the weekend’s events and set out clearly what the local authority’s role is – and what it is not – when it comes to asylum seekers and the use of hotels.

In a statement, he said: “As members know, the Cladhan Hotel is being used by the Home Office to provide temporary accommodation to asylum seekers.

“Falkirk Council is not involved in deciding who is placed at the hotel, has no say in how it is run and no role in managing the daily arrangements.

Scotland

How many asylum seekers are housed in hotels in Scotland?

The numbers have increased in recent months – mirroring a rise across the UK – but is lower than the peak reached in September 2023.

“The cost of accommodation and meals are met in full by the Home Office. Allowances for those living there also come from the Home Office.

“Falkirk Council does not provide any financial assistance to asylum seekers staying in the hotel.

“Our homelessness service is not part of these arrangements and no asylum seekers have been fast-tracked into council housing.”

The protest on Saturday was organised by a group called Save Our Future and Our Children’s Futures, who insisted it was to be a peaceful demonstration.

Scotland

Scottish council considers ‘implications’ of high court block of asylum hotel

On Tuesday, a judge ruled the former Bell Hotel in Epping must stop housing asylum seekers.

Around 200 anti-racist protesters also gathered outside the Cladhan ahead of the larger demonstration and the police eventually closed the road to traffic as the two sides faced each other.

According to the Home Office’s latest data, there were 92 asylum seekers being housed in Falkirk as of June 30, 2025, an increase of 13 since March 2025.

Mr Lawrie said the protests were “concerning” and warned those spreading misinformation that they were doing “real harm”.

“While there will always be an important right to protest and assemble, as an essential part of our democratic process, some of what we saw at the weekend, outside the Cladhan Hotel, was deeply concerning,” he said.

“Protests that target vulnerable people and repeat false claims do real harm.

“They can create division, spread fear and do not reflect the values of Falkirk as a community.

“Intimidation and abuse are not acceptable.

“Our responsibility as a council is to provide facts and to challenge misinformation and to build community cohesion. We will continue to do that.”

He also insisted that any council involvement with asylum seekers was in partnership with other organisations, and stressed that all those housed in the area had been through a security check.

He said: “Falkirk Council has statutory responsibilities that apply equally to anyone living in our area.

“If an asylum seeker requires, for example, health care, social work support or social care our staff may become involved – that is the extent of our direct role.

“We also work with partners including Police Scotland, NHS Forth Valley, the third sector, Mears and the Home Office to manage any local impact and make sure that safety and well-being are prioritised.

“It is important to be absolutely clear that asylum seekers go through security and identity checks before they are accommodated. These checks are carried out by the Home Office.

“Information is shared with Mears and with partners where that is needed.

“Suggestions that people are moved here without any checks or oversight are simply not true.”

Closing his remarks, he praised Falkirk’s long history of welcoming people into the area, and said diversity would make the area stronger.

“Our role is also to work constructively with partners and residents to ensure that concerns are dealt with in a respectful and responsible way,” he said.

“Falkirk has a long history of people arriving here and contributing to our local life. Many families in Falkirk today have roots in other countries and cultures.

“That tradition continues today – diversity makes Falkirk stronger. It brings new skills, ideas and traditions.

“It makes our economy more resilient and our cultural life richer.

“Communities that are open and inclusive are communities that thrive.

“In closing, let me be clear: Falkirk Council has no role in placing or funding asylum seekers at the Cladhan Hotel – that responsibility rests with the Home Office and with Mears.

“Our homelessness service and our housing service are not involved.

“What we do have is the responsibility to safeguard community safety, provide factual information and uphold the principle that everyone deserves dignity and respect.

“We will continue to set the record straight when false claims are made, we will continue to work with partners to address local issues and we will continue to support a community where people can live safely and where difference is respected.”