Agenda item
Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (SVPRS)
- Meeting of Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee, Tuesday, 1st November, 2016 6.30 p.m. (Item 7.2)
- View the background to item 7.2
Minutes:
The Sub Committee considered the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (SVPRS) presented by Afazul Hoque who informed the Sub Committee that the report outlined the proposals for the Council’s participation in the SVPRS and the plans for local delivery led by the Council and the requirements for grant funding to enable effective implementation of the scheme.
Afazul Hoque highlighted the following: -
· The report outlines proposals for the Council’s participation in the SVPRS;
· The Council has informed the Home Office of its intention to become a volunteer Local Authority for the SVPRS;
· The Council has agreed that in delivering SVPRS, the Local Authority will operate a ‘mixed’ delivery model;
· The Council’s own Housing Options service will secure appropriate accommodation for ‘beneficiaries’ in the private rented sector and support them to maintain their tenancies;
· The Council will work with the provider of its recently commissioned “New Resident and Refugee Forum” whose role is to champion the voice and concerns of newly arrived migrant communities in the Borough to ensure these are reflected in the design and delivery of services;
· The Council will also liaise with the Regional Migration Partnership as well as other London Boroughs who have volunteered for SVPRS to date, to build a pan-London support network for “beneficiaries”;
· Initially the Council has agreed to resettle 3 households via SVPRS;
· An indicative cost estimate has been developed based upon the proposal to resettle three families (3x4 individuals);
· Two areas of major costs to the Council include: covering the rental gap between Housing Benefit and market rents in the Borough and providing a casework ‘integration support service’ to the beneficiaries;
· The model used assumes that resettled households will remain in-borough in 2 bedroom PRS properties, for the full 5 years of the scheme without changing composition and stable needs;
· The estimated net cost to the council of participation in the scheme over the full 5 years is estimated to be in the region of £50k;
· It has been agreed that the Corporate Director of Resources will make provision within the Council’s budgeted reserves to cover the full costs of participation in SVPRS; and
· A cross partnership ‘Steering Group’ bringing together all relevant agencies in the Borough has been created and will operate as a project board when the scheme goes live.
The Chair, enquired about the assurance the Council would be working closely with other host local authorities and joined up with voluntary and community organisations in the Borough to ensure that the families do not feel isolated and are made to feel fully a part of the community.
Members raised the following concerns: -
· cost is a factor and it is a small number now, but what will happen if the situation changes and there are more costs to be incurred;
· the scheme being able to sustain itself over the 5 years;
· opportunity to involve other stakeholders e.g housing, children’s services
· can the families of similar cultural backgrounds and language remain close e.g. housing and schooling in order that the families do not feel isolated;
· has the Council considered working with other authorities to deliver a successful scheme;
Sarah Williams, Legal Office commented that the scheme had a clear plan and if any additional funding would be required then the scheme will be able to seek the support of the Home Office. She also stated the Home Office were responsible for its own scheme which was an entirely different scheme.
Afazul Hoque informed the Sub Committee that a number of stakeholder were groups were being consulted and involved in the scheme and that families were being considered to be grouped together but this would be dependent on whether or not the housing would be available. He also stated that all the comments would be taken into account and raised with the ‘Steering Group’.
The Sub Committee agreed to support the recommendations.
Supporting documents: