Dorset County Council, Dorset Police and NHS have held the first press briefing at Dorchester Dorset (today Thursday) before the imminent arrival of the Bibby Stockholm immigration barge at Portland Port in the county.

The Home Office will house asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm barge, moored in Portland Port for a term of 18 months.

Arrival is expected in the next couple of weeks and the asylum seekers will start arriving shortly after.

The Home Office has contracted Corporate Travel Management (CTM) to be responsible for the day-to-day management of the barge.

Dorset Council, Dorset Police, NHS Dorset and other agencies have statutory responsibilities to ensure robust arrangements are in place. Agencies in Dorset are working with the Home Office and the Port through a Multi-Agency Forum, preparing for the arrival of the barge and the asylum seekers.

Agencies in Dorset are working in the best interests of both residents and asylum seekers to make sure arrangements operate smoothly, with minimal impact on local services and communities.

The asylum seekers will have been in the UK system for some time and so will be familiar with cultural norms. They will not be detained, and a regular shuttle bus will be available for their use. This is funded by the Home Office direct with a local transport provider.

Dorset Police have Increased funding for community policing that has been received from the Home Office. This will mean the barge and surrounding area has a visible policing presence on a daily basis to increase public engagement and confidence in community safety as a result.

Dorset Police is committed to making the county safe for all residents and visitors living in our communities.

The Force is continuing to liaise closely with other community safety partners to ensure any concerns from local people are addressed and that there is regular communication to those communities on how agencies will come together to ensure safety for all.

The Home Office has offered funding to Dorset Council of £3,500 per occupied bed space.

This is £1.7m overall. Some of this funding will be used to provide two additional community safety officers in
Portland and Weymouth, extending the operational hours of the CCTV in the area and providing safeguarding training for barge staff.

In addition, the Home Office is providing Dorset Council a one-off sum of £377k which will be used to provide support and activities for the residents on the barge. We will work closely with trusted local voluntary and community organisations including the town councils, to provide English speaking lessons and a variety of activities to support the barge residents’ physical and mental wellbeing.



NHS Dorset has a lot of experience caring for Asylum Seekers. Most recently supporting

those living in hotel accommodation in Bournemouth.

Working with local primary care and other providers we have a good understanding of what the health needs will be and the best ways in which we can meet those needs.

They have secured funding and a provider for health services for the residents of Bibby Stockholm which will not impact on existing local services.


Speakers at the event:

Richard Bell, Chief Superintendent and Commander for Dorset, Dorset Police

Matt Prosser, Chief Executive, Dorset Council

Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Culture and Communities