County of Sanctuary plan backed by councillors

Twm Owen Local Democracy Reporter

A plan to support asylum seekers and refugees backed by a Welsh council two years ago won’t increase their numbers, a top councillor has said. 

Councillors across the political divide backed the plan to become a “welcoming” place for asylum seekers and refugees with the aim of being recognised as part of the City of Sanctuary network in September 2023. 

Monmouthshire County Council’s Labour/Green cabinet has now approved a ‘County of Sanctuary’ strategy which is one of the steps it needs to take towards accreditation. 

Councillor Angela Sandles, the cabinet member for equalities, said a decision by the UK Government, in 2022, has already made it a requirement for all local authorities to become asylum dispersal areas where those seeking asylum are sent by the Home Office. 

They are usually housed in private accommodation, provided to the Home Office, and while hotels have been used in parts of Britain latest figures show of 32,059 asylum seekers placed in hotels just 76 were in Wales, all in Cardiff. 

The Magor East with Undy member said: “We have a duty to accommodate people locally this is about how we work with people who are here.”

Concern

At the cabinet meeting Cllr Sara Burch, who is responsible for housing said she recognised some people are concerned accommodating asylum seekers could impact efforts to eliminate the use of bed and breakfasts and hotels to house homeless people in Momouthshire. 

Cllr Sandles said the council has to meet local housing need, and since 2022 also has to accept the Home Office may place asylum seekers in the county. 

She said to address local housing need the council has leased and purchased properties and has gone from housing more than 100 local people in bed and breakfast accommodation to “around 10 currently”. 

A report for the cabinet stated the council has increased the availability of temporary and settled homes for homeless households and has eliminated the use of B&Bs to house 16 and 17-years-olds and families with children.

County of Sanctuary

The county of sanctuary strategy agreed by the cabinet sets out how the council will support residents to access “basic necessities”, foster “economic inclusion” such as boosting employment, skills training and financial support, back community groups supporting  people seeking sanctuary, champion Monmouthshire as a “county of sanctuary” and work with communities to improve public services. 

The Welsh Government, which doesn’t have any powers over immigration and asylum, has a similar nation of sanctuary policy intended to support the integration of asylum seekers and refugees into their local communities. 

Asylum seekers are those who come to Britian and ask for permission to remain, due to fear of persecution in their home countries, or fleeing war and violence. They are “dispersed” by the Home Office across the UK while refugees are those who’ve been given the right to remain in Britain after their asylum claim has been accepted.