Prison and immigration inspectors are due to make a visit to Penally Camp this week, with asylum seekers in residence and staff from Clearsprings UK who are overseeing the running of the facility, to be interviewed by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI).

The Observer has been sent photographs today (February 15) of Covid compliance signs and hand sanitizer dispenser points being erected around the site only this week, after the former Military of Defence facility was repurposed as an asylum seekers accommodation centre by the Home Office back in September of last year.

Service users at the site have held protests in recent week over what they’ve described at ‘poor living conditions’ at the camp, with some vulnerable males already moved to alternative accommodation following legal action.

“HMIP’s involvement will enable ICIBI’s inspection to progress at pace, without having to divert resources from other ‘live’ inspections, and it will also mean that ICIBI can benefit from HMIP’s knowledge and experience of inspecting large institutional settings, particularly during the current pandemic,” stated the the UK Government on its website.

“Following the site visits, HMIP will produce a written report of its findings which will be appended to ICIBI’s inspection report for publication by the Home Secretary in due course.”

Inspection visits will comprise: interviews with accommodation service provider staff and any other persons providing onsite services to the residents; interviews with residents; a review of relevant locally-held documentary evidence (e.g. local rules, information, risk assessments, complaints logs, etc); an assessment of the premises and onsite facilities; separate short surveys of staff and residents (distributed in advance of the visits).

Welsh Secretary of State and MP for South Pembrokeshire Simon Hart has also today (February 15) responded to correspondence from Penally county councillor Jon Preston, who last week Penally county councillor Jon Preston slammed the UK Government’s ‘total lack of empathy’ shown to all the people affected by the matter.

“It is now clear that the Home Office are proceeding in a manner I had specifically asked to be avoided,” remarked Clr. Preston, on the news that the Home Office have now their intentions clear last week to Pembrokeshire County Council that a planning application is being prepared to allow the temporary use of Penally Camp as an asylum seekers accommodation centre to continue for a further six months (beyond March 21 2021).

“Yet again, the Home Office have chosen to act on the very periphery of what is lawful and continue to hold a community and vulnerable adults in an extended period of uncertainty,” continued Clr. Preston.

“I have no doubt that attempts will be made to undermine Welsh Government’s position on this but the fact remains that immigration is not a devolved matter.

“This was a decision made by a cabinet that our MP and Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart is part of.

“This whole situation, from the mismanagement of the asylum process to the absence of any consultation whatsoever, the responsibility is that of the UK Government.

“Following this most recent development and the total lack of empathy shown to all the people affected by this situation I again ask Simon Hart to engage with the local community, listen to our concerns and provide absolute assurance that he has the best interests of those he represents at the forefront of his dealings with the Home Office.

“The absolute priority should be to return Penally camp to the MoD and accommodate the service users in the agreed support networks within the UK.

“If this is not going to be the case then I fail to see how his position can remain tenable,” added Clr. Preston.

In response to Clr. Preston’s correspondence, Mr. Hart said that in a ‘difficult situation’ he has tried to keep his updates to constituents ‘factual’ even though he is conscious that recipients often want something more definitive by way of future plans.

“On the question of consultation you are correct that there was no engagement with myself or PCC before the site was taken over by the Home Office,” he said.

“At the time Home Office officials informed me after the decision became public that whilst consultation was always desirable, it is not a legal requirement and that the urgency of the Covid-19 situation prevented them from engaging in the usual manner.

“However, an engagement group including Pembrokeshire County Council, Hywel Dda Health Board, UKG and WG and Dyfed-Powys Police has subsequently been established and convenes regularly.

“As far as the very legitimate question of cost to PCC is concerned, I have sought clarification from Council officials as to how this figure has been calculated and whether it has taken into account income received from UKG by way of council tax, and taking into account how council tax is distributed by Welsh Government.

“I have also asked for further detail of whether ‘officer time’ is included or not as these costs (unless officers have been recruited purely to deal with Penally) will have already been budgeted for and presumably covered by the block grant.

“I would therefore like to see a breakdown of all estimated net costs before I feel able to comment further. If you could use your own means of moving this along I would be very grateful.

“As to planning permission, notice was served to Pembrokeshire County Council that the temporary change of use would begin on site on September 21, 2020. The preparation of the application documents has been delayed by Covid- 19 restrictions limiting the opportunity to make site visits and record data.

“Whilst I am told that the formal application will be with the council shortly, the original ambition to leave the site as soon as alternative arrangements are in place remains unaltered.

“As I have mentioned before I am in very regular touch with Home Office officials and colleagues with a view to seeking this outcome promptly, safely, legally and humanely,” added Mr. Hart.