Agenda item

To receive an update from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee following its consideration of the Motion on 19 January 2016.

60.1           The Mayor explained that the following Motion had been proposed and seconded at the last meeting of the Council and had stood referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration:

‘Tewkesbury Borough Council notes that more than six million Syrian people have been displaced by civil war within their homeland and three million have fled to neighbouring countries.

The Prime Minister and the United Kingdom government are keen to support twenty thousand refugees seeking sanctuary and have pledged £215m over the next five years to help rebuild their lives within this country.

I would ask Members of this Council to join with other agencies, including ‘Severn Vale Housing Trust’ and ‘GARAS’ to help coordinate and support limited numbers of displaced Syrian families settle within the County of Gloucestershire’

60.2           Accordingly, at its meeting on 19 January 2016, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered a report, circulated at Pages No. 103-114 of the papers for the current meeting, which provided information to enable the consideration of the Motion; the Mayor also reminded Members that additional information about this issue had been circulated prior to the Council meeting.

60.3           On invitation from the Mayor, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee explained that the Committee had had a lively debate on the Motion and asked some probing questions before deciding that it should be supported. However, it was his understanding that an amendment to the Motion was to be presented to the Council.

60.4           It was then proposed and seconded that ‘Tewkesbury Borough Council acknowledges that the Prime Minister and the United Kingdom Government are keen to support twenty thousand vulnerable refugees seeking sanctuary from parts of Syria, and have pledged £215million over the next five years to do so. Tewkesbury Borough Council confirms it will fulfil its obligation to this programme by providing practical support when and where it is appropriate’.

60.5           Upon the amended Motion being proposed and seconded, the Mayor asked the proposer and seconder of the original Motion whether they wished to proceed with their original Motion or whether they were prepared to accept the amended version. The proposer and seconder confirmed acceptance of the amended version and, accordingly, this became the substantive Motion for debate.

60.6           During the discussion which ensued, a Member questioned whether the funding for refugees from the Government would be received by the Borough Council or the County Council and whether there would be careful management of the letting of properties to ensure no one already on the Homeseeker Register was disadvantaged. In response, the Deputy Chief Executive advised that the funding from the Government would be channelled through the County Council; the Borough Council had no housing stock and therefore would not receive any funding directly. In terms of property, she explained that, at the moment, there were no proposals to use a particular type of housing but the most likely approach at this stage was to use the private sector; this meant there would be no impact on families on the Housing Register. Severn Vale Housing Society had offered potential vacant units for use if needed and a ‘wrap around’ support package from a number of different organisations would be available to the families even if housing in the private sector was offered.

60.7           Accordingly, the substantive Motion was put to the vote and it was

RESOLVED          That Tewkesbury Borough Council acknowledges that the Prime Minister and the United Kingdom Government are keen to support twenty thousand vulnerable refugees seeking sanctuary from parts of Syria, and have pledged £215million over the next five years to do so.

Tewkesbury Borough Council confirms it will fulfil its obligation to this programme by providing practical support when and where it is appropriate.