Tag: council leader

Council calls for increase in number of Afghan refugees to be welcomed to the UK

Edinburgh’s Council Leader is to write to the UK Government calling for the number of refugees to be welcomed to the UK to be increased from the 20,000 already committed over five years.

Councillor Adam McVey will take this action after a Coalition motion was unanimously approved at Full Council today. 

Cllr McVey said: “The deteriorating situation in Afghanistan is heartbreaking to witness and as a city, we want to do everything we can to help people fleeing for their lives as the crisis deepens.

“That’s why I’ll be writing to the UK Government calling on them to increase the number of Afghans who will be welcomed to the country in the coming years.

“We’re working very closely with partner agencies and the Home Office already and will soon give shelter to around 250 Afghan refugees in the Capital, as well as around 50 people to settle as permanent citizens.

“We’re proud to have them join us and will welcome them with open arms, as we will when more of their countrymen and women arrive in the Capital in the months to come.”

Depute Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It’s humbling to see the outpouring of compassion and generosity shown by so many residents in the city who are coming forward with offers of accommodation and direct support for Afghan refugees. We are an outward-facing, globally responsible Capital and will play our full part in helping people in such desperate need.

“We now call on the UK Government to increase the total number of Afghan refugees that can be welcomed to Britain over the coming years and for local authorities to be provided with appropriate funding to support their needs.

The full text of the agreed motion reads:

“Notes that unfolding events in Afghanistan since the US, UK and other nations’ substantive withdrawal have been shocking to witness and that the whole of the UK bears a moral responsibility for dealing with the consequences. Notes efforts of residual personnel still in Kabul to support evacuation of some of those at risk.

“Supports the people of Afghanistan in enjoying the liberties previously protected by allied forces and the right to independence of thought, to vote and for women and girls to be educated and play a full part in the work and life of their country- as well as the right to life for at risk groups, such as LGBT Afghans.

“Acknowledges that many UK veterans who served in Afghanistan will find the deteriorating security situation extremely difficult and lead them to question the sacrifices they and their colleagues have made and requests the Lord Provost, as Veterans’ Champion, continues to engage with local armed forces.

“Agrees that Edinburgh must embrace its responsibility to welcome those fleeing persecution and empower these people to reach their full potential when they arrive.  This includes providing good quality immediate temporary accommodation and welcoming Afghan refugees for permanent resettlement in the Capital.

“Agrees to explore all avenues to secure appropriate accommodation, without putting pressure on existing demand for social homes, such as exploring using short term let properties, to maximise local provision.

“Notes ongoing discussions between the Council and the UK Government on arrangements to host a number of Afghan refugees who were locally employed staff as well as ongoing discussions on welcoming further Afghan refugees.

“Further notes these discussions will include other third/voluntary sector and Trade Unions to support and welcome refugees along with the continuing dialogue with the Scottish Government of levels of support they can also contribute. Agrees this includes full access to local services and should also include access to support finding employment, without restrictions on ability to work.

“Agrees the Council Leader writes to the UK Government to add Edinburgh’s voice to calls to increase the number of Afghan refugees, who are not formerly locally employed staff, beyond the 20,000 already committed over 5 years.

“Notes the funding arrangements for the formally locally employed staff and agrees the Council leader and officers continue dialogue with UK Minsters and officials to ensure support is fully funded by the UK Government and delegates to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader, to approve any such other costs arising not covered by UK Government funding, or existing budgets, up to £500,000 from the unallocated general reserve.

 “Notes current arrangements of UK Government funding for formally employed staff is able to cover private rented property rates and agrees the Council leader and officers communicate directly the need for the same level of support for all refugees being welcomed and resettled in the City.

“Notes the very generous offers of direct support from the people of Edinburgh and agrees that Edinburgh should play its part in welcoming of Afghan refugees: both in terms of the need to find immediate temporary accommodation and welcoming Afghan refugees for permanent resettlement in the Capital.“

Council Leader: ‘serious about tackling homelessness for good’

The support being provided to people facing homelessness in Edinburgh has been commended but we’ll need to work together to bring about long-term change, says Council Leader Adam McVey:

Back in late March, when it was announced that the country would be entering lockdown measures, we set about creating a dedicated team to co-ordinate our support to some of our most vulnerable people – our residents experiencing homelessness.

As part of urgent measures to protect those most at risk, we stepped up an Additional Accommodation Needs Team to co-ordinate the crucial task of increasing the amount of emergency temporary bed spaces we can access as a Council, so that no one need be left without a safe place to stay.

Within weeks, empty hotels were secured. Holiday lets were turned into homes for those who might otherwise end up rough sleeping. And importantly, all families who had been living in B&B style accommodation were safely moved into self-contained homes. We now have over 200 extra bed spaces and counting as a result of this work and we’re continuing to meet the need for our services.

This rapid response is testament to our City’s dedicated volunteers, workers from across the third sector and the Council’s team of homeless support officers. It has highlighted the incredible work this service and those of our partners provides day-in and day-out, working hard to help anyone in need.

Yet, this pandemic has also highlighted the very real challenge we’ve been working towards in Edinburgh when it comes to providing much-needed homes.

We’re a compact City but our population is still growing.

The property market is still one of the most expensive in the UK and losing properties which could be safe and warm homes to those without a place to stay to the short-term lets market is simply not sustainable.

A quarter of all homelessness cases in Edinburgh are linked to the private rented sector and our housing teams support people whose tenancies may be at risk to stay in their homes.

Part of their work to prevent people from becoming homeless has involved bringing forward a rent deposit guarantee scheme, to support people with the often expensive upfront costs of renting. It will be vitally important that we continue to encourage landlords to help people whose finances aren’t secure to keep their tenancies, as and when lockdown measures are eased.

We’re ready to work with the private rented sector in partnership though and to understand the very real financial challenges many tenants will face because of the outbreak in the months which lie ahead.

We’re asking landlords of residential properties previously run as short term lets in particular to lets us use their properties to give a home to our citizens who need them in exchange for a guaranteed rent.

When we’re able to, returning to construction to build new, high quality homes will remain a key priority for us too.

We’re building 20,000 affordable homes as well as investing £2bn in new Council homes over the next decade, but this takes time to deliver. In the meantime, we can help landlords to rent their properties to us through our Private Sector Leasing Scheme with Link Housing, which not only offers a solution for private landlords who are unable to receive rental income during the pandemic, but increases the number of homes available to people experiencing homelessness.

We’ve already increased the number of properties we let from the private sector, bringing in 100 extra homes, and I want this number to rise.

We’re serious about tackling homelessness for good.

We look forward to industry working with us to achieve that aim. Let’s work together on this unique opportunity to rebalance the market for the long-term by returning short-term lets to the purpose they were intended for – as homes.