Women ‘terrified’ as council spends just £40,000 on police near UK's largest asylum camp

Women ‘terrified’ as council spends just £40,000 on police near UK's largest asylum camp It comes despite the Home Office handing the council £3.8 million following the opening of the site in 2023. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Toby Codd 22:26, Sat, Oct 24, 2026 Updated: 22:36, Sat, Oct 24, 2026 The site can home up to 1,245 asylum seekers. (Image: Daily Express) Women living near the UK’s largest asylum camp are "terrified", as the local council spent just £40,000 of the £3.8 million it received in Home Office grants on additional police officers. They have expressed concerns of intimidation, theft, violence and harassment at the hands of asylum seekers. Despite asking for additional police patrols in the town centre, data shows the local authority has only spent a fraction of its funds to deal with the impact of the site which can home up to 1,245 asylum seekers. The people of Braintree, in Essex, have spoken out about the impact of MDP Wethersfield, which was repurposed from RAF Wethersfield in July 2023 to house asylum seekers. Braintree District Council has been criticised for not spending enough of its government grants on policing the town. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT The Home Office gave the council £3.8 million between July 2023 and June 2026. Of that total, just £40,000 was spent on increased policing while £2.7 million remains unspent. Meanwhile, police data shows that 232 calls were made to 999 and 101 at the site since 2020, with the vast majority (192) coming since the asylum seekers moved in. The total calls included 31 for assault, three for rape, two for sexual offences, nine for theft, one for stabbing and two for human trafficking and slavery. Get the day's biggest headlines in UK and World news and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . As reported by the Daily Mail , Robert Bates, of the Centre for Migration Control, said: "The people of Braintree are suffering greatly as a result of RAF Wethersfield and the heavy handed, contemptuous approach of Whitehall officials towards their concerns. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT "It is baffling that these funds are sitting underused gathering dust as crime runs rampant and residents spend their daily lives fraught with concern. If the government insists that the Wethersfield site must be used then it should be a detained facility, preventing illegal migrants from roaming around the local community." Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Locals are calling for increased police presence. (Image: Getty Images) Brits warned 'avoid three UK spots' if WW3 erupts as Army chief says 'prepare for war' Jeremy Clarkson issues brutal 4-word verdict on Andy Burnham as Prime Minister However, the council said: "We are the only local authority that receives this type of grant and comes with considerable restrictions on what it can be spent on; the funding instructions are kept confidential and the Home Office must approve all non-statutory funding. "We can't use it to close our budget gap and, to our immense frustration, we've never been told what projects would be acceptable. It took more than a year of trial-and-error applications to unlock community funds at a fraction of what we had intended to allocate." MDP Wethersfield has an operational capacity of of around 1,220 to 1,245 single male asylum seekers (aged 18–65). It has been criticised by locals while Conservative MP for Braintree, Sir James Cleverly , said: "The Home Office must provide clarity on what the Council is able to spend its grant on and allow it to prioritise the protection of the local community." MDP Wethersfield opened in July 2023. (Image: Getty Images) In the town, Susan Doan, the co-owner of a beauty salon, said her colleagues and clients were scared to leave late at night due to men loitering outside. She told the Mail: "They hang around outside the shop blowing kisses at the staff here. "During the dark nights you would not want to leave here on your own. I had a client who left here and was followed by a group. She was terrified and so came straight back. What's been done to safeguard the women and children and make sure people feel safe coming into their own town?" Meanwhile, local charity shop volunteer Hannah said he now "hates" the town, adding: "Working here as a woman is scary". According to her, hundreds of men get shuttle bus servics into the town centre every Thursday. Police Migrant Crisis Essex Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments