Powys County Council wants to become even more welcoming to refugees
Powys is set to become a 'Council of Sanctuary' and join a network of local authorities that help refugees.
At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Cabinet next Tuesday, senior councillors are expected to agree to a proposal to join the City of Sanctuary local authority network and begin the application process to become a 'Council of Sanctuary'.
The report by Greg Langridge-Thomas said: “Powys County Council is currently supporting the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Programme (ARAP), the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and the Welsh Government Ukraine Super Sponsor scheme.”
In February 2022, the UK Government mandated that all UK local authorities should accommodate a share of refugees, under the asylum dispersal programme.
Mr Langridge-Thomas said: “To date, Powys does not officially accommodate any adult asylum seekers. However, plans are being drawn up with partners to ensure that we are ready to accommodate any asylum seekers.
“A team Powys approach has been adopted to support and assist refugees, and the council has worked in partnership across the public, private, and voluntary sector.”
Mr Langridge-Thomas said that support for refugees is “widespread” with seven groups existing in the county to “welcome and support” them on their resettlement in Powys.
In 2019, the Welsh Government declared, in a plan endorsed by the United Nations, that Wales would become the world’s first Nation of Sanctuary.
So far, Swansea City Council is the only Welsh local authority that has achieved council of sanctuary status, but Flintshire, Newport, Vale of Glamorgan, and Monmouthshire councils have recently passed motions to work towards achieving the accreditation.
Since 2016 the council has been supporting refugees to resettle in Powys and currently they help six families from Afghanistan, 15 families from Syria and 105 families from Ukraine.
Becoming a 'Council of Sanctuary' would see the council pledge - among other things - to be a "welcoming place of safety for all", ensure "sanctuary seekers are welcomed, included and supported" and "challenge anti-refugee and anti-migrant attitudes".
