Stoke-on-Trent Council secures funding for Afghan refugee housing

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has announced that over £1.2 million in government funds will be allocated to house 15 Afghan refugee families within the city. This financial support was obtained by the council via a nationwide initiative designed to resettle individuals who sought refuge from Afghanistan following the Taliban’s assumption of control in 2021. The plan for Stoke-on-Trent City Council involves utilizing these funds to renovate five long-vacant properties already in its possession and to acquire an additional 10 residences. These two and three-bedroom residences, once no longer required by the refugee families, will transition into council housing available for broader public assignment. Leaders of the council indicated that this initiative would enable them to assist vulnerable individuals concurrently with obtaining government funds to facilitate the growth of the authority’s housing inventory. Eligibility for this housing extends to Afghan refugees who collaborated with British armed forces, as well as other susceptible populations like women and girls, who have arrived in the United Kingdom through the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme or comparable initiatives. Councillor Chris Robinson, the council’s cabinet member responsible for housing, stated: “Stoke-on-Trent is a welcoming and diverse city and we are proud to be able to provide shelter for those fleeing tyranny.” He added: “As a country we have a moral responsibility to the people of Afghanistan who bravely stood alongside the British, and for democracy, against the brutal Taliban regime.” Robinson further commented: “In the longer term, these properties will be added to the council’s housing stock – meaning this humanitarian act will also have a long-term legacy for the entire city.” It is noted that the council had previously voiced criticism regarding the government’s relocation of hundreds of asylum seekers to Stoke-on-Trent under the Home Office’s dispersal scheme, an initiative distinct from the Afghan resettlement scheme. The latest government data indicates that in June, a total of 1,156 asylum seekers were housed in Stoke-on-Trent, representing 45 per 10,000 residents, which is among the highest proportions nationwide. The proposed Afghan housing initiative is scheduled for approval by the authority’s cabinet on Tuesday. A report presented to council management stated that while the authority had evaluated the potential impact on local resources, the scheme offered “significant financial incentives” for the council. The report also indicated that the council would not be obligated to provide matching funds for the government grant, with the objective being to complete the housing project using minimal supplementary funding. This information was compiled by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which reports on local government bodies and other public service entities. For updates, follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.