Decision details

Afghan Resettlement Update

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) announced in spring 2021 aimed to resettle 3,000 people (approximately 600 families) by September who had been locally employed and worked alongside the British forces in Afghanistan.  Local authorities were being encouraged to participate in the scheme by offering resettlement through private rented accommodation within their areas.  East Sussex was committed to resettle eight families (two in Rother).

 

Due to ongoing unrest in Afghanistan, the Government launched a separate Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) to support vulnerable people displaced by the conflict.  East Sussex was committed to resettle 200 individuals.  These would be vulnerable people, including women, girls, minority groups (including ethnic and religious minorities and LGBT+).  The first to be resettled would be those who had arrived under the evacuation programme.  The Council had experience of resettling displaced people and had successfully resettled eight Syrian families under the UK Resettlement scheme (UKRS).

 

The Government funding provided for the UKRS had met all costs and the funding announced for the ARAP/ACRS would be comparable.  Therefore, officers were confident that the costs of operating the new schemes would be met by an integration package of funding from the Government.  The core local authority tariff would be £20,520 per person over three years and all those resettled through the ARAP/ACRS would be granted immediate Indefinite Leave to Remain.  In addition, funding would also be available for child education, English language lessons and healthcare, as well as £20m to support local authorities with higher service costs and £10m for housing costs, which would reduce over the 3-year period.

 

East Sussex had established an operational steering group in collaboration with local relevant partners to oversee preparation for the ACRS and build on existing good practice through the UKRS and identify any potential capacity gaps etc.  Due to increasing pressure on the housing and homelessness services across the county, exacerbated by the current COVID-19 pandemic, it was noted that accommodation would be sourced from the private rented sector only and landlords with empty properties were encouraged to contact the Council.

 

Cabinet acknowledged that the Council had met its share of the national commitment to resettle Syrian refugees and was therefore well placed to meet its share of a county-wide commitment to resettle 200 households across East Sussex.  It was noted that both schemes were cost neutral to the Council, as costs would be claimed back from central Government under the terms of a formal grant agreement and staff resources would be utilised from the existing UKRS Rother team.

 

RESOLVED: That:

 

1) Government funded integration package for both the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme be noted;

 

2) the progress of the Council in successfully meeting its commitment to resettle two families under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy be commended; and

 

3) the intention of the Council to join the county-wide commitment to resettling 200 families under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme be noted.

Report author: Joe Powell

Publication date: 08/10/2021

Date of decision: 04/10/2021

Decided at meeting: 04/10/2021 - Cabinet

Effective from: 16/10/2021

Accompanying Documents: