Council officials moved swiftly to squash rumours of scores of asylum seekers moving to Canvey.

The confusion grew as details emerged of a new partnership deal to help provide accommodation for homeless people in Castle Point.

Under the deal, private housing company, Glaredawn, is to buy and refurbish houses and flats to lease to Castle Point Council, who will then sub let them to homeless people in bed and breakfast accommodation.

However, Castle Point Council's assistant housing director, Richard Chew, was quick to clarify who would qualify for the new accommodation on offer.

He said: "They have got to demonstrate a particular need - which could be an elderly person, a family with children, or a pregnant woman."

He stressed that, following a change in the law, it was now standard practice to check the immigration status of everyone who turned up needing temporary housing.

Mr Chew added: "In the last six years we have had only two asylum seekers approach the council for housing assistance, and we weren't able to help them, because they did fall foul of the immigration checks."

However, concerned Russell Quirk, of Furtherwick Road, Canvey, feared that the mention of immigration checks implied the arrival of asylum seekers and was worried details were being "covered up."

Published Tuesday, June 10, 2003

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