Councils working together to welcome Afghan refugees

COUNCILS say they are working together in Derbyshire to be ready to participate in the Government’s scheme to relocate Afghan nationals who were employed locally.

Derbyshire County Council is working with the district and borough councils in the county to prepare for the scheme, which will be funded by the Government.

Councils taking part in the scheme are being asked to make reception arrangements upon arrival, provide accommodation, provide a package of advice and assistance including employment, welfare benefits, housing, health, education, and utility supply, help with registration with GPS and local job centres, help to provide school places and to provide cash support while benefits are being processed.

In Derbyshire, involvement in the scheme is dependent on a supply of suitable properties to house families.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for health and communities, Carol Hart, said: “We’re all too aware of the scenes in Afghanistan over the past few weeks, with people desperate to get out of the country.

“In Derbyshire, we stand ready to do our bit to help those who helped our armed forces.

“We are working with colleagues in the district and borough councils to find suitable housing.”

As properties are identified they will be checked to ensure they meet the needs of the Afghan families.

Once this has been verified, it will then be a matter of waiting for the Home Office to allocate families to the properties before the resettlement process can begin.

The council says it expects to be able to welcome the first family in the near future.