Agenda item

Ukrainian Refugee Housing

Minutes:

Councillor Goldspink proposed the following motion on notice:

 

“Our Westminster Government has expressed its support for the people of Ukraine and has encouraged British residents to open their homes and to offer places of safety to the Ukrainian refugees. East Herts Council would like to take this opportunity to thank those residents who have responded to this encouragement and who have provided space in their homes for Ukrainian refugees during this war. The Council also wishes to thank all the residents who have contributed to helping the Ukrainians in many different ways during this difficult time. This Council also acknowledges the moral responsibility to give fair, humane and equal support to refugees and asylum seekers from many other countries, and especially to those who have put their own lives at risk by giving us assistance.

 

Under the “Homes for Ukraine” scheme many kind-hearted, generous East Herts residents have signed up to share their homes with refugees for 6 months. Unfortunately, there do not seem to be any plans for what comes next. Nobody seems to know where the refugee Guests will be housed when the 6 months are over.

 

East Herts District Council notes that it has responsibilities in relation to Affordable Housing. It further notes that it has a statutory duty to house the Homeless.

 

The Council also notes that private sector rents in East Herts are expensive and likely to be beyond the reach of refugees on lower- than- average incomes.

 

This Council therefore calls on the Government to work out a proper Plan for housing the hundreds of Ukrainian refugees in East Herts and the country as a matter of the utmost urgency. This Council resolves to write to the Prime Minister and to the Home Secretary with this request. The letters to be signed by the leaders of all 4 political groups.”

 

The motion was seconded by Councillor Townsend.

 

Councillor Goldspink spoke to her motion and said that it was heart-warming to see so many generous people had signed up to open their homes to Ukrainian refugees. She said that hosts were happy to open their homes for six months and expected to have a plan about what comes next but there was currently no clear plan. She said that the council had excellent housing officers that were willing to help but there was no affordable housing and private rent was expensive. She was asking the Council to ask the government to come up with an urgent plan.

 

Councillor Boylan thanked Councillor Goldspink and Councillor Townsend for putting forward the motion. He said that on behalf of the Executive, they would support the motion and said that there were currently 154 hosts in Eats Herts that have been matched with a Ukrainian guest. Councillor Boylan said that East Herts had the second highest number of hosts and Ukrainian guests in the county after St Albans.

 

Councillor Boylan gave his sincere thanks to those who had been hosting refugees. Hertfordshire County Council had asked all host households what their intentions were after the six month period had ended and only 20% had currently replied; 60% of those reporting that they will be able to keep their guests for longer. He said that East Herts Officers were working closely with the County Council and voluntary sector to provide information to hosts as and when it becomes available. Housing Officers together with their counterparts in Hertfordshire were raising issues and questions with the government and the Council was adding its voice to the debate in how best to support refugees until it was safe for them to return home. He welcomed all group leaders to come together to seek greater clarity from the government.

 

Councillor Curtis said he was in favour of the motion and thought it was much needed. He wanted to note that whilst the council were asking the government to published detailed plans, the government had done some outstanding work on the conflict with Ukraine. He wanted to acknowledge that whilst calling for detailed plans, it did not take away from the work in supporting refugees.

 

Councillor Townsend said that he was surprised that it seemed necessary to pull politics into the motion. He hoped that all councillors would support and stand by the motion regardless of politics and opinions.

 

The motion to support the recommendations having been proposed and seconded was put to the meeting and upon a vote being taken, was declared CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED – That the following motion be approved:

 

“Our Westminster Government has expressed its support for the people of Ukraine and has encouraged British residents to open their homes and to offer places of safety to the Ukrainian refugees. East Herts Council would like to take this opportunity to thank those residents who have responded to this encouragement and who have provided space in their homes for Ukrainian refugees during this war. The Council also wishes to thank all the residents who have contributed to helping the Ukrainians in many different ways during this difficult time. This Council also acknowledges the moral responsibility to give fair, humane and equal support to refugees and asylum seekers from many other countries, and especially to those who have put their own lives at risk by giving us assistance.

 

Under the “Homes for Ukraine” scheme many kind-hearted, generous East Herts residents have signed up to share their homes with refugees for 6 months. Unfortunately, there do not seem to be any plans for what comes next. Nobody seems to know where the refugee Guests will be housed when the 6 months are over.

 

East Herts District Council notes that it has responsibilities in relation to Affordable Housing. It further notes that it has a statutory duty to house the Homeless.

 

The Council also notes that private sector rents in East Herts are expensive and likely to be beyond the reach of refugees on lower- than- average incomes.

 

This Council therefore calls on the Government to work out a proper Plan for housing the hundreds of Ukrainian refugees in East Herts and the country as a matter of the utmost urgency. This Council resolves to write to the Prime Minister and to the Home Secretary with this request. The letters to be signed by the leaders of all 4 political groups.”

 

Supporting documents: