Agenda item

*RESOLVED –

1.    That, subject to confirmation of the partnership approach with Derbyshire County Council, Chesterfield Borough Council’s participation in the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy and Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme be approved.

2.    That the resettlement of up to six families through the two schemes over a five-year period, utilising Council housing stock and stock owned by registered social housing providers, be approved.

3.    That the Cabinet Member for Governance, in consultation with the portfolio holders for Housing and Health and Wellbeing, be granted delegated authority to consider urgent requests from the Government regarding these schemes and future refugee resettlement schemes.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS

To contribute to the national Government and Local Government

response to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, protecting current and former Locally Employed Staff and their families and refugees identified as particularly vulnerable including women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups at risk, including ethnic and religious minorities and LGBT+ communities.

The Service Director - Corporate presented a report which sought approval for the Council’s participation in the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy and Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme.

Local councils had an excellent track record of supporting humanitarian efforts to protect and support refugees with examples provided of a wide range of support already delivered across different government schemes. Due to the risk to current and former locally employed staff and other vulnerable people, over 15,000 people had been evacuated from Afghanistan by the UK Government.

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy would offer relocation and other assistance to current and former locally employed staff. The Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme would resettle up to 20,000 people at risk. The scheme would prioritise vulnerable people, those who had supported UK efforts in Afghanistan and those who had stood up for democratic values.

The Government had announced a core local authority funding tariff and additional funding would be provided to support education and health provision in the first year of resettlement. 

*RESOLVED –

1.    That, subject to confirmation of the partnership approach with Derbyshire County Council, Chesterfield Borough Council’s participation in the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy and Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme be approved.

2.    That the resettlement of up to six families through the two schemes over a five-year period, utilising Council housing stock and stock owned by registered social housing providers, be approved.

3.    That the Cabinet Member for Governance, in consultation with the portfolio holders for Housing and Health and Wellbeing, be granted delegated authority to consider urgent requests from the 3 Government regarding these schemes and future refugee resettlement schemes.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS

To contribute to the national Government and Local Government response to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, protecting current and former locally employed staff and their families and refugees identified as particularly vulnerable including women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups at risk, including ethnic and religious minorities and LGBT+ communities.