The letter, sent last Thursday (July 30), said several asylum properties had also been handed back by Mears, reducing available capacity. Earlier this year, Darren Grimes, Reform deputy leader at Durham County Council, accused the Government of failing to listen to local concerns and claimed the county was being unfairly targeted. As of December 2025, Home Office figures showed 566 asylum seekers were housed in County Durham. Last June, Mears confirmed that it would not purchase any new properties for three months due to the “sufficient capacity” in County Durham. The Home Office said it remains committed to working closely with Durham County Council, local authorities and Mears to ensure procurement activity took account of local considerations.