Ministry denies any 'secret' bail hostels

3:04pm Friday 2nd May 2008

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A PROPERTY firm has been accused of "secretly" opening 150 unsupervised bail hostels across the country.

The Echo revealed earlier this year that ClearSprings, the Rayleigh-based company run by Graham King, planned to open a hostel in Kent View Road, Vange.

This proposal was scrapped last month following fierce opposition from local residents and Tories.

The row has broken out nationally, with councils across the country claiming they were not consulted about hostels potentially opening in low-income areas.

Luke MacKenzie, Tory candidate for Vange, said: "The Government has been secretly placing bail hostels to house early release prisoners in residential areas across the country without any consultation."

National reports suggested Basildon may get a hostel, but the Ministry of Justice today reiterated ClearSprings is not currently looking to open one in the district.

ClearSprings is in Rayleigh MP Mark Francois' constituency and he said this was the first he had heard of the company being based in the town.

He said: "This is something I shall be looking into.

"Having done some quick calls this afternoon, I understand Rayleigh is not on the list for one of these hostels, but I am going to double check when I get back to Westminster on Monday. If Rayleigh were to be included on a list that would be concerning."

The small hostels house three to four low-risk defendants awaiting trial, including asylum seekers, and criminals released early from prison, but not sex offenders.

In March 2000 ClearSprings signed a contract with the Home Office to provide accommodation to asylum seekers. It has since housed more than 35,000 people.

Because the firm uses existing homes it purchases, it says it does not need planning permission.

Ertan Hurer, an Enfield councillor in Enfield, North London, said he was furious his council was not consulted about 13 hostels "secretly" being set up in his area.

ClearSprings refused to speak to the Echo, saying all press inquiries were being referred to the Ministry of Justice.

Spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice, Zoe Campbell, said: "It is not true bail accommodation is being opened in secret.

"ClearSprings is under a contractual obligation to consult in areas where they are to open bail accommodation. Any reports that it has failed to do so will be investigated."