Call for fair funding for councils backing Syrian refugee response
Telford & Wrekin Council is urging the borough’s two MPs to help it persuade Government to fully fund its response to the Syrian refugee crisis.
The Government’s scheme announced last week could see around 50 Syrian refugees come to the borough in the next five years.
However the Government will only offer councils supporting the scheme funding for refugees in their area for their first year in the UK. This is to cover extra costs for matters such as schooling, benefits or other complex needs the refugees may have as a result of fleeing a war zone.
Costs for any such services after this first year would then have to be met by councils in the areas welcoming the refugees.
Under the Government scheme, Syrian refugees will have the right to remain in this country for five years.
The Council has written to both MPs Lucy Allan and Mark Pritchard asking for their help to make the scheme fairer for councils like Telford & Wrekin who want to play a part in welcoming Syrian refugees.
The Council believes that based on what is currently know about the Government scheme that it could take around 10 refugees a year or around 50 in total.
Councillor Angela McClements, cabinet member for communities, said: “The Government is asking to councils to support the scheme and we want to help and do what we can, while recognising this must not add pressure on local services.
“However Government funding the costs for one year is tantamount to Government telling councils ‘sort out this issue and write a blank cheque as to future costs’.
“It’s not right, it’s not fair to local council tax payers and that’s why we’re calling on the Government to change this. We hope that our two MPs will help us to get this message through to ministers so that the scheme’s funding can be more clearly and fairly thought through.
“It is worth also making the point that based on current Government information, any refugees that come to the borough will not get preferential treatment for housing – they will be treated in exactly the same way as anyone else in the borough.”
The Council has also developed an FAQ about the Syrian refugee crisis and the Council’s response to this at www.telford.gov.uk/refugees
