Residents questions Powys council’s involvement in migrant housing scheme

Elgan Hearn, Local democracy reporter.

A senior Labour councillor has been asked why Powys Council is more interested in housing immigrants than addressing the two-year waiting lists for health treatment in English hospitals. 

At the questions from the public section of the Powys County Council meeting on Thursday, March 5, Richard Ealden will ask: “Why have you shown interest in the UK Government’s homes for migrants’ scheme? 

“You have been elected to represent the needs/wants of the local people and not someone who has travelled halfway around the world to get here. 

“You should be more concerned with raising/asking questions on why the Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) has put a blanket two-year wait on top of the time already waited for operations in neighbouring English hospitals.” 

Deputy council leader and housing portfolio holder Cllr Matthew Dorrance (Labour – Brecon West) answered: “It is important to understand that the Home Office is not offering a choice of whether to participate in asylum dispersal or not” 

“It is already happening across all local authority areas, and it is mandatory (required by law). 

“As such, asylum dispersal is already operational in Powys and is under the direct control of the Home Office and their agent for Wales, Clearsprings Ready Homes. 

“Currently, it is the Home Office and their agent who decides who is placed in Powys and where. 

“To date, one family has been placed in Powys as part of the mandatory dispersal programme.” 

Last summer, the Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet agreed to “express an interest” in being part of a pilot scheme for this programme – a move which has been criticised by Reform UK and Conservative councillors. 

Powys is one of only a handful of authorities from across the UK that have shown an interest in this scheme so far. 

Cllr Dorrance continued: “We want the non-binding expression of interest to give the council control over who is placed in Powys and provide some benefit for our local communities. 

“The expression of interest is based on additional funding being made available to build extra housing, which the council would not otherwise be able to build, and which would be allocated to local people on the waiting list. 

“Older properties could then be used to accommodate families who are seeking asylum under a time-limited lease to the Home Office. 

“In time, those properties would be returned to the council and once again be used to accommodate local people. 

“The council put forward the non-binding expression of interest so that it can find out more about the pilot. 

“The pilot may not proceed but, if it does, it could provide the above-mentioned extra new housing for those on the housing waiting list. 

“In the meantime, Powys will continue to comply with the Home Office directive to accommodate a share of individuals seeking asylum under the existing, mandatory dispersal scheme.” 

At the meeting, Mr Ealden will be able to ask an extra question.