Home office asks nuneaton and bedworth council to help more refugee families

Nuneaton and Bedworth council is set to to help re-house more refugee families. The Home Office has written to all local authorities to seek participation with further support to accommodate

refugee families. The council has already helped families settle into a life in the borough. According to a council report, it states: "All of the families resettled in the borough are

tenants in the private rented sector. "There has been no financial cost to the council to be participants, albeit some officer time in respect of identifying, inspecting and supporting

the setting up of tenancies and enabling families to take up suitable and affordable private sector tenancies." READ MORE: GOLF CLUB BETWEEN COVENTRY AND SOLIHULL REVEALS EXPANSION

PLAN It goes on to add that the scheme, locally, has received praise. "The welcome and support from the local community received by our families has been recognised by partners as

excellent, partner agencies and the local community have played a vital part in helping these vulnerable families settle, feel safe and feel valued members of the wider community," the

report explains. Now the council is being asked to help provide further support to accommodate refugee families. It says that Warwickshire County Council has collated data and has

recommended to the Home Office that all councils in Warwickshire pledge a further three families each under the revised Afghan Resettlement Scheme with the caveat of local council approval.

The county council is suggesting that local councils endorse the pledge because, if not, the Home Office could mandate that they support an 'unknown number of families and supply

transitional accommodation that is currently not enforced.' So council officers are recommending the council agrees to help support another three families. "The resettlement of the

families to date has been a great success, not only for the families themselves but also for the wider community in which they now live and work," the Town Hall report explains.

"The addition of more refugee families to the borough will further complement the growing and valued members of the community." It concludes: "To welcome further families will

serve to add to the cultural diversity of the borough and demonstrate the council’s commitment to helping vulnerable refugees to start again in a safe and supportive environment." The

final decision will be made at a single cabinet meeting on Thursday, May 29.