£800k granted for Crowborough asylum site policing

The Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, has successfully secured £795,898.55 in Home Office funding to manage the ongoing operational costs of policing the Crowborough asylum seeker accommodation site.

• The Purpose: The funds are designated to cover setup costs, general community policing, and handling persistent weekly protest activity surrounding the camp. 
• The Justification: PCC Bourne successfully argued to Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris MP that these costs are an enduring reality of hosting a large-scale asylum site inside a residential community, rather than a short-term issue. 

Broader Context on the Crowborough Site

• Site Profile: The Home Office utilizes the former Crowborough Army Training Camp to house up to 540 male asylum seekers as part of its strategy to close down asylum hotels.
• Controversial Extension: The funding announcement coincides with a new government plan to extend the use of the Crowborough site until 2030.
• Local Backlash: Local leaders, including Wealden District Council leader Rachel Millward, have expressed deep disappointment over the 2030 extension, warning it will prolong community tensions, disruptions, and protests.
• Legal Battles: Wealden District Council recently dropped its legal challenges due to poor prospects of success, but a local residents' campaign group, Crowborough Shield, was granted permission by the High Court in April to proceed with a separate judicial review regarding planning and environmental compliance.
• Future Concerns: PCC Bourne has explicitly warned that the current grant should not be treated as a one-off "exceptional" payment, advocating for a long-term funding framework to prevent a financial cliff-edge for Sussex taxpayers in the 2026/27 financial year