Agenda item

11.1

The purpose of this report is to provide the Committee with an overview of the current arrangements for refugees resettling in Sheffield, including recent changes to provide support for Ukrainian Refugees, and to seek approval for grants to support those arrangement.

11.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Finance Sub-Committee:-

1. Notes the contents of the report and in particular the financial income provided by the Government to support a number of refugee support schemes benefitting refugees resettling in Sheffield;

2. Approves the specific grants to the Ukraine Community Group, the Refugee Council, SPRING and Migration Yorkshire as set out in this Report;

3. To the extent not already delegated by the Constitution, delegates authority to the Director of Housing to take such further decisions as are necessary, including authorising grants in excess of £50,000, to deliver the UK Resettlement Scheme, Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), Afghan Citizen Refugee Scheme (ACRS) and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme so long as the costs associated with those decisions are covered by the funding made available to the Council in relation to those schemes.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

The Council now has over 15 years’ experience of management and delivery of similar refugee resettlement programmes, the longest recent involvement of any local authority in the UK.

11.3.2

The UK government has committed to resettling the most vulnerable refugees, bringing people to the UK who have fled war and persecution and are temporarily based in neighbouring countries. The UKRS, ARAP, ACRS and Homes for Ukraine Scheme are funded by central government, with money provided at a level which funds the Council and its delivery partners to provide services and support to refugees for the period determined on each scheme.

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

Due to the need to urgently respond to the emerging Ukraine situation and support newly arriving refugees into the city it was agreed to work with the existing city infrastructure and organisations that currently support the Council and our most vulnerable refugees. If SCC were to choose not to support, through grant funding, the organisations carrying out the work described above, it would leave support needs of hundreds of refugees unmet. This would lead to a consequential impact on existing services which would not be adequately resourced to deal with the increased demand.

11.1

The Director of Housing Service presented a report providing the Committee with an overview of the current arrangements for refugees resettling in Sheffield, including recent changes to provide support for Ukrainian Refugees, and to seek approval for grants to support those arrangement.

11.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Finance Sub-Committee:-

1. Notes the contents of the report and in particular the financial income provided by the Government to support a number of refugee support schemes benefitting refugees resettling in Sheffield;

2. Approves the specific grants to the Ukraine Community Group, the Refugee Council, SPRING and Migration Yorkshire as set out in this Report;

3. To the extent not already delegated by the Constitution, delegates authority to the Director of Housing to take such further decisions as are necessary, including authorising grants in excess of £50,000, to deliver the UK Resettlement Scheme, Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), Afghan Citizen Refugee Scheme (ACRS) and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme so long as the costs associated with those decisions are covered by the funding made available to the Council in relation to those schemes.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

The Council now has over 15 years’ experience of management and delivery of similar refugee resettlement programmes, the longest recent involvement of any local authority in the UK.

11.3.2

The UK government has committed to resettling the most vulnerable refugees, bringing people to the UK who have fled war and persecution and are temporarily based in neighbouring countries. The UKRS, ARAP, ACRS and Homes for Ukraine Scheme are funded by central government, with money provided at a level which funds the Council and its delivery partners to provide services and support to refugees for the period determined on each scheme.

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

Due to the need to urgently respond to the emerging Ukraine situation and support newly arriving refugees into the city it was agreed to work with the existing city infrastructure and organisations that currently support the Council and our most vulnerable refugees. If SCC were to choose not to support, through grant funding, the organisations carrying out the work described above, it would leave support needs of hundreds of refugees unmet. This would lead to a consequential impact on existing services which would not be adequately resourced to deal with the increased demand.

(NOTE: During the discussion of the above item the Committee agreed, in accordance with Council Procedure rules, that as the meeting was approaching the two hours and 30 minutes time limit, the meeting should be extended by a period of 30 minutes).