Agenda item

Report of the Chief Partnership Officer

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, in respect of refugee resettlement and newly arrived communities.

A corresponding private report detailing confidential matters was also submitted for consideration (Minute 73 below refers).

The report submitted provided an update on the current position concerning the arrival and welcome of people from asylum seeking, refugee and migrant communities to the city.  The report also reflected on work done under a range of resettlement schemes, detailed in Appendix 3, as well as grant allocations awarded to the Council to support delivery of these resettlement schemes, which were set out in Appendix 1.

In addition, the report set out the council’s preferred position regarding the dispersal of asylum seekers in the city, in line with the Government’s new Full Dispersal Policy.  It was noted that both Coventry and the wider West Midlands were disproportionately impacted by the current dispersal of asylum seekers.  The local authority, along with other regional partners, had for a number of years advocated for a fairer dispersal system.  The West Midlands Strategic Migration Partnership had developed a regional plan of allocation as set out in Appendix 2 of the report, which should see local numbers drop, over time. However, this would require early action by the Home Office to exit contingency asylum hotels to see numbers drop more quickly.  The Council had no obligation to agree the regional plan of allocation; however, it was recommended that the Council support the plan in order to establish an equitable dispersal of asylum seekers.

The Cabinet noted the current and projected challenges and opportunities, presented by refugee resettlement, as well as the potential benefits to the local economy and communities from investing in a successful approach to resettlement, inclusion and integration.

The Cabinet were advised that the Council’s Migration service also bid for and received a range of grants which funded specific projects to support the same communities. The report submitted therefore sought approval to accept further grant funding under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) which would be used to extend the My Coventry project by a further 12 months.  Details of all relevant grant allocations awarded to the Council from the Home Office and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities under the grant schemes was included in Appendix 1.

The Cabinet were also asked for approval for the Council’s pledge to the Government’s various refugee resettlement schemes.

It was noted that the report did not cover Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children as this client group are supported by Children’s Services.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1.  Approve the proposed regional model put forward by the West Midlands Strategic Migration Partnership to disperse people who are asylum seekers across the West Midlands region, as set out in Appendix 2.  As set out in section 1.5 providing information on ‘Move to Full Dispersal’ policy and described in Option 2 of the Options and Recommended proposal section. 

2.  Reaffirm the position of Coventry as a City of Sanctuary, City of Peace and Reconciliation and continue to be a welcoming and inclusive place for people from asylum seeking, refugee and migrant communities. This is with a particular emphasis on supporting new arrivals to be able to make a positive contribution to local communities and the local economy.

3.  Confirm the Council’s pledge to resettle 125-150 people per annum from the Government’s Resettlement Schemes. This would reflect the capacity in the city to support these very vulnerable refugees and make a positive contribution to the Government’s request for support with the challenges faced particularly by the collapse of the previous Afghan regime in August 2021.

4.  Delegate authority to the Director of Public Health and Wellbeing following consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities to be able to increase or decrease the Council’s pledge to the Government’s refugee resettlement schemes. This would be in accordance with Coventry’s capacity to deliver effective integration support and would be based on the population size of the city.

5.  Authorise the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities following consultation with the Head of Service Libraries and Migration and the Chief Legal Officer to prepare and thereafter issue a letter to the Home Secretary stating the following:

•  That the City Council remains supportive of the West Midlands Strategic Migration Partnership’s plan which reflects the move to a new and better dispersal model;

•  That the current contingency hotels are stood down in the City of Coventry; and

•  No further contingency hotels are to be created in the future within the City of Coventry

6.  Accept all government grant allocations awarded to the Council per individual under the grant schemes programmes listed in Appendix 1 for current and future years and delegate authority to the Head of Service Libraries and Migration following consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities to take all necessary actions to bring into effect this recommendation.

7.  Authorise the Council to accept additional grant funding award of £794,753 from the Asylum Migration Integration Fund (AMIF) subject to the appropriate match funding being secured by all necessary delivery partners which shall thereafter be utilised to extend the current MyCoventry programme for a third year (ending December 2023) as described in Paragraph 1.10 below.

8.  Delegate authority to the Head of Service Libraries and Migration following consultation with Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities to enter into the appropriate agreements:

•  To secure the additional grant funding; and

•  Back-to-back funding agreement with the necessary delivery partners.