Leaders from Swale Borough Council have started legal action to oppose converting Coniston Hotel, in Sittingbourne, into an asylum induction centre.

The council believes it may be able to prevent the project going ahead on the grounds it would breach planning laws.

Andrew Bowles, Conservative leader of the council, said he was confident voters would consider it money well spent.

'High-handed actions'

He said: "We do have a budget for legal procedures and we will use it if necessary. I am sure the people of Swale will be behind us in taking this action.

"I'm sure that the people of Swale are more than a little angry about the high-handed actions and attitudes of this Labour government.

"They will fully support their council in taking the government to court and in holding them accountable for their mismanagement of this process."

Plans for the induction centre, put forward by the private firm Accommodata, have been put on hold while public consultation takes place.

A Home Office spokeswoman said on Wednesday there were no immediate plans to move asylum seekers into the Coniston Hotel - despite reports from Sittingbourne residents that new beds were being delivered to the premises.

She said it was possible that Accommodata was re-equipping and preparing the site for future use but no-one was being moved in surreptitiously.