South Kesteven District Council votes to provide homes for 21 refugee families from Ukraine and Afghanistan
Families fleeing war-torn countries will benefit from temporary housing, which will later be used by people on the council housing waiting list.
South Kesteven District Council has agreed to contribute £2.83 million towards a project to purchase 21 properties, which will initially be used by Afghan and Ukrainian evacuee families who have arrived legally in the UK and later by families on the SKDC Housing Register.
Last Wednesday (March 1), SKDC's full council voted to accept a £2,098,750 allocation from the government-funded Local Authority Housing Fund, supplemented by £2,383,750 from SKDC’s Housing Revenue Account reserves.
The total £4.482m project will purchase 21 properties, which will add to the SKDC social housing portfolio.
Afghan resettlement prioritises those who assisted the UK with military operations in the country, plus those at greatest risk from the Taliban.
Schemes to assist Ukraine nationals focus on legal resettlement and support for women and children refugees displaced by the conflict.
The Local Authority Housing Fund is to ease pressure on local housing demand and create a new and permanent supply of accommodation for local authorities to assist UK nationals in the future.
Leader of South Kesteven District Council, Councillor Kelham Cooke (Con), said: “This humanitarian gesture is something we should all be proud of, as it gives something back to those who supported the UK in Afghanistan and to Ukrainians escaping the terrible suffering in their own country.
“This investment will help refugees in their hour of need and create a lasting legacy by providing housing to help address local demand, and reduce future homelessness pressures for local people as the evacuees move out of the system.”
Cabinet member for housing and property, Councillor Robert Reid (Con) said: “Local authorities and communities have worked tirelessly to provide safe refuge for people in their hour of need, with South Kesteven residents currently providing homes for the highest number of Ukraine refugees in the whole of Lincolnshire.
“The new scheme is not aimed at those who have arrived in the UK illegally, outside of government sponsored resettlement schemes. Many of the families we are talking about, brought in by the UK Government, are with host families on short-term placements or living in temporary hostel accommodation.
“While this project allows the council to access external funding, it requires SKDC to commit £2.38m of its own resources, in addition to the main budget papers being considered this week.”
Opposition councillors offered there support for the scheme at last Wednesday's meeting, with Councillor Lee Steptoe (Lab), describing the plan as "a drop in the ocean", but "better than nothing".
Councillor Charmaine Morgan (unaliged) also backed the scheme, but said she was concerned that the plans could "create division within our community".
"People will start saying hang on, I've lived here for 20 years and I’ve been waiting on the list for god knows how long and not got a house," said Coun Morgan.
"I don’t want arguments or comments like that, but they will start coming if we don’t start supporting and providing social housing for everyone."
The Local Authority Housing Fund helps provide affordable accommodation for legal evacuees until their visas expire in around three to five years’ time, by supporting local authorities.
SKDC expects to approach developers with a view to purchase 19 two- or three-bedroom new-build homes and two four-bed+ properties.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities fund is worth £500m nationally.
SKDC is one of three local authorities in Lincolnshire, among just 180 nationwide to be selected to benefit from this fund.
