Wealden Community Safety

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 gave local authorities and the police a duty to work together to develop crime and disorder audits and implement reduction strategies.

Section 5 of the Act sets out that the Police have joint responsibility for preventing and reducing crime and disorder in the area in partnership with local authorities.  ‘Responsible authorities’ have a duty to co-operate through a Community Safety Partnership (CSP). In our area, the Safer Wealden Partnership meets this legislation and includes representatives from the following agencies:

• Wealden District Council
• East Sussex County Council
• East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
• Sussex Police
• The office for the Police and Crime Commissioner
• Wealden District Association of Local Councils (WDALC)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Crowborough Training Camp

What is Uckfield Town Council doing to support community safety?

Uckfield Town Council remains in regular contact with Sussex Police regarding crime and anti-social behaviour matters, and supports measures such as CCTV coverage in Uckfield town centre. This coverage is being strengthened further in areas where additional monitoring is considered beneficial.

Has Uckfield Town Council been consulted by the Home Office about the use of the site?

Uckfield Town Council has not received direct engagement from the Home Office regarding the use of the Crowborough Training Camp.

The Uckfield Town Mayor, Cllr. Karen Bedwell, therefore requested a meeting with the Minister of State (Home Office), Alex Norris MP. On Tuesday 3rd March, the Uckfield Town Mayor, alongside the Town Clerk and the MP for East Grinstead and Uckfield, Mims Davies, attended an in-person discussion to emphasise the importance of improved communication with the Parish and Town Council sector.

We continue to request updates, so we can help ensure that accurate information can then be shared with the local community.

How will Uckfield residents receive updates about the situation?

Uckfield Town Council will share verified information through its website and through the Uckfield Matters publication, which is delivered to households across the town. Updates will be provided when confirmed information becomes available.

What role does Uckfield Town Council have in decisions about the use of the site?

Uckfield Town Council is not responsible for any decisions regarding the site. The Town Council’s role is to represent local residents, seek information and share updates with the community where possible.

What will the impact be on local infrastructure, such as GP surgeries?

Healthcare provision on the Crowborough Training Camp site is funded by the Home Office and delivered by a primary care network within the NHS.

The Home Office have committed to delivering routine healthcare services directly on site, reducing reliance on local GP practices.

Asylum seekers will be registered with a GP as part of the on-site initial health check process. They will only attend an off-site GP practice if they require further treatment that cannot be provided by the on-site service.

What level of police presence is at the Training Camp?

The Home Office is working with Sussex Police to ensure the correct level of policing support is in place. As per other large sites, there is also security 24/7 and security systems, including CCTV monitoring and recording.

How are the Home Office and police ensuring public safety?

Public safety remains the first priority of all authorities involved in the site.

Mandatory security checks are conducted on all asylum seekers by linking their biometric data to immigration, security and criminality databases.

This includes criminality checks for, amongst other things, convictions, pending prosecutions, wanted or missing reports, as well as fingerprints and photographs.

What efforts have been made to block this use of the site?

While the Training Camp is currently in active use to provide shelter to asylum seekers, legal challenges have been undertaken by Wealden District Council and residents’ groups.

Wealden District Council have engaged two King’s Counsel (national legal experts) to advise them on the public law and planning aspects of the Home Office’s decision, and the options available to them to challenge this through the legal and planning processes.

Wealden District Council also joined a judicial review action, as an interested party, that sought to challenge the Home Office about their decision to use the Camp.

A residents’ group, Crowborough Shield Community Interest Company (CIC), was granted a hearing for a judicial review into the Home Office’s decision to designate the Crowborough Training Camp to accommodate those seeking asylum in the UK. The group had their case for a judicial review rejected by the High Court on 27 February 2026. Crowborough Shield subsequently indicated that they intend to continue their legal challenge.

What communication is being delivered to the community?

Ultimately, communication about the site stems from the Home Office and its contractor, who will be running the site and, for management of community tension and other community policing matters, Sussex Police.

Until other authorities, including Wealden District Council, Crowborough Town Council and ourselves, are directly contacted by the Home Office or Sussex Police, we can only rely on what we have been previously informed by them.

Like Wealden District Council and Crowborough Town Council, we wish for the Home Office to expand and improve its communication with local authorities, and support any efforts to achieve this.

Are direct bus services running from the Training Camp to Uckfield?

On Wednesday, 4 February 2026, we were informed by Sussex Police that no scheduled bus services are running from Crowborough Training Camp to Uckfield Parish.

At our meeting with the Home Office on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, we received another confirmation that no bus services will be running between the Training Camp and Uckfield.

How are local authorities ensuring the safety of women and children?

The safety and security of local communities around the site, the staff who work there and those accommodated on the site are of the utmost importance, with a specialist and experienced provider of security services permanently on site 24/7.

The Home Office work closely and routinely with Sussex Police to ensure appropriate security arrangements are in place for the safety and security of the asylum seekers and the wider community.

The Home Office also maintains regular engagement with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums, to address the concerns of those most impacted by the site and to identify ways to keep them informed.

How can I report issues relating to the site?

Local residents should report any incidents related to the Crowborough site through the usual channels.

For emergencies, call 999 for Police, Fire & Rescue, or Ambulance.

For non-emergencies, dial 101.

Any incidents on site will be managed by the service provider and Home Office Assurance and Oversight team.

Image Credit: Gareth Fuller / PA Wire

Emergency contacts and useful links

In the event of an emergency, please always follow the following advice:

Sussex Police

999 or 112 – For immediate police assistance in an emergency.

101 – For non-emergency situations where you need police assistance or to report a crime that is not urgent. The 101 service is available across the UK.

You can also report incidents of anti-social behaviour and non-urgent crime online at:
https://www.sussex.police.uk/ro/report/

If an incident arises on a train or train platform, you can discretely report it to the British Transport Police via text, on 61016

East Sussex Fire & Rescue

999 or 112 – To report a fire or request fire brigade services.

South East Coast Ambulance Service

999 or 112 – For medical emergencies requiring an ambulance.

Or if you need assistance to further understand your medical symptoms and what action you may need to take, please contact 111:
https://111.nhs.uk/