Council staff had worked over 2,700 hours on the project, which council leader Darren Price described as a “fiasco”. The costs include lost income from cancelled marriages at the hotel and the time spent by council officers who were diverted from their primary roles.
Price criticized the UK government's approach to handling emergency asylum accommodation and emphasized the need for local governments and the Welsh government to have a central role in such decisions. He highlighted the UK government's lack of awareness of local contexts in situations like the Stradey Park hotel case.
In addition to the council's claim, Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn announced plans to reclaim approximately £300,000 in additional costs incurred by the police in managing the hotel site, which had been the focus of protests and several arrests.
The Home Office acknowledged the community's strong concerns regarding the now-withdrawn proposal for Stradey Park and reiterated its legal obligation to support destitute asylum seekers.
Meanwhile, the owners of Stradey Park Hotel expressed their desire to reopen the hotel to the public and rebuild trust with the community. Darren Price stressed the importance of not leaving the building empty and utilizing it in a way that benefits the town.