Herefordshire to welcome more refugees and asylum seekers

Herefordshire Council's Cabinet has agreed to support more refugees as part of the Home Office’s various resettlement schemes.

Herefordshire has been asked by the Home Office to consider taking more refugees and asylum seekers over the next 12 months, following the successful resettlement of 60 Syrian refugees during the last year.

The council will confirm to the Home Office that it can support up to 40 asylum seekers and 35 refugees in family groups.

Councillor Paul Rone, Cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “When the big hearted county of Herefordshire agreed to welcome and re-settle 60 Syrian refugees in 2015, we certainly didn’t envisage just how well the families would settle into their new homes and fully integrate into their local communities.

“The scheme has been a great success, with 14 families safe and happy in Herefordshire, and I’m pleased that we now have seven individuals volunteering within the county, while four have found employment.

“The Home Office is now asking us to consider taking additional refugees, as it continues with its different resettlement schemes.  We’ve been able to demonstrate that our public services, local communities and voluntary sector can provide the necessary support to enable families to successfully integrate into the county and develop independence; therefore we’re now in a position to support up to 40 asylum seekers and 35 refugees in family groups.”