Community safety concerns surrounding Crowborough migrant camp top agenda at policy scrutiny meeting

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne will question Sussex Police chief officers at her regular Performance & Accountability Meeting (PAM) on Thursday 20 November, with the primary focus on the Home Office’s decision to use the former army training camp in Crowborough as a temporary asylum accommodation centre.

The Home Office confirmed on 28 October 2025 that the site will house up to 540 single male adults from the end of November for a period of up to 12 months. This announcement has prompted significant public interest and concern among local residents.

Key questions the PCC will ask Sussex Police include:

• Community reassurance: How will Sussex Police ensure public safety and respond to any incidents or crimes reported locally?
• Managing protests and tensions: What plans are in place to manage any demonstrations and prevent community tensions from escalating?
• Impact on police resources: What additional pressures will this decision place on policing resources?
• Funding: Will Sussex Police require extra funding for additional patrols and presence in the area?

Commenting ahead of the meeting PCC Katy Bourne said: “I know that many residents in Crowborough and the surrounding areas are understandably concerned about the impact this decision may have on their community.”

“I will be asking the Chief Constable to provide assurances about public safety and policing plans and how Sussex Police will work with partners to manage any challenges. “It’s vital that local people feel reassured that their concerns are not only being heard but also addressed. “

“ As soon as I heard about the plans for the Crowborough site, I wrote to the Home Secretary and the Minister for Border Security and Asylum to point out that the site had previously been deemed unsuitable by the Home Office under the previous Conservative Government, and to articulate local residents’ dismay and anger at the lack of public consultation and concerns regarding safety.”

The meeting will also cover other topics including Sussex Police’s involvement in Operation Sceptre (the national knife crime awareness campaign), the recent HMICFRS report on child sexual exploitation and grooming gangs, updates on the force’s Joint Transport Service and progress in completing Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

The meeting will be streamed live: Home - Sussex PCC Webcasting with a full recording and transcript published shortly afterwards.

Next month’s PAM will take place on Thursday 18 December 2025 at 13:00.