DOUBTS have been cast whether some of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees will be able to resettle in Malvern despite the Government investing hundreds of millions of pounds into the national project.
Melanie Baker, a leading councillor on Malvern Hills District Council, said important details over funding the refugees costs were not provided in last week’s Autumn Statement – meaning a potential Worcestershire bid to help bring Syria’s deeply affected citizens into the town cannot yet proceed.
Last week the Government announced more than £460million of its overseas aid budget would be used by 2019/20 to resettle up to 20,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees in the UK.
This amount covered full funding for the refugees’ first year in the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (SVPR) scheme, which allows those eligible to live in the UK for five years with full access to public funds and benefits.
The Government said it would also provide a further £130million towards the costs to councils of supporting Syrian refugees for the remaining years of the project.
But district council chiefs say they are now in a quandary as they hoped all of the refugees’ five years would be fully-funded.
A letter has been sent to the Government to clarify the situation.
Mrs Baker said: “We had expected the Chancellor to set out in detail how funding for the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (SVPR) scheme would work, particularly after the first 12 months.
“We are very disappointed that did not happen and the information that was provided still leaves us with many unanswered questions.
“Worcestershire council leaders have always been clear they could only proceed with a bid to the SVPR scheme if it was fully funded and supported by partners. Until we get the further information we require we are unable to proceed, at the moment, with a Worcestershire bid to join the SVPR scheme.”
But the council’s response has been met with disappointment from campaigners who have questioned the authority’s commitment.
Julian Roskams from the Malvern Welcomes Syrian Refugees group said: “The latest response of our council to the issue of refugee resettlement leaves us wondering whether they are looking for solutions or for excuses.
“Though the Chancellor failed directly to address the funding of refugee resettlement in his Autumn Statement, the Home Office has been very clear throughout this process that it will provide the funding that local authorities require.
“For our council to continue to insist on five years’ funding in the face of the guidance issued and experience of other councils is totally unwarranted and can only lead to speculation as to their commitment to play their part in alleviating this most critical humanitarian need.”
