Herefordshire Council has offered to take up to 56 Afghan refugees before Christmas, but a senior councillor says it will be “incredibly difficult” to find suitable housing for them.
Cabinet member for health and adult wellbeing Coun Felicity Norman said: “We are keen to avoid housing them in social housing as we don’t want to displace others.”
As with previous refugees settled in the county, mostly from Syria, the council will instead seek private housing, according to the councillor, who put forward a policy proposal to take 125 refugees passed by the council last summer.
“In nearly all cases they are families who need their own houses, but it’s incredibly difficult to find such housing,” she said.
A council spokesperson confirmed: “We are currently working with a range of landlords to confirm the specific locations (where the refugees will be housed).”
She added that, following the initial intake of 56, “We will be resettling more people over time with a view to reaching and exceeding our offer of 125 refugees.”
The offer draws on two government schemes which provide host authorities with over £20,000 per refugee, plus further funding to cover health, education and language costs.
“The council is confident that this funding will meet all of the costs incurred through our resettlement plans,” its spokesperson said.
The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban militia last month drove thousands of Afghans, many who had worked with the withdrawing Western forces, to seek refuge abroad.
The UK military flew out around 8,000 Afghan citizens from Kabul in August, in addition to over 70,000 flown out by US forces.
They join over half a million Afghans already displaced by the conflict in the country, according to the UN.
The UK government has committed to resettling up to 20,000 Afghans nationally.
Herefordshire resettled 95 mainly Syrian refugees fleeing conflict there between 2016 to 2018, though Coun Norman said it had proved to be “very difficult” to house them in the county.
Work on replacing ageing Victorian water pipe in Monmouth to continue
Designer appointed for redevelopment of Hereford Museum and Art Gallery
Charities calling for clarity on when new base for people with disabilities will be available
Hereford car showroom plan for new SUV brands
‘Improved’ plan to replace turkey sheds with houses near Leominster
Emergency services respond to explosion at BAE Systems Monmouthshire site
Legal challenge launched to prevent demolition of Three Counties Hotel
Number of empty homes in Monmouthshire reduces since council tax premium
