To endorse the approach to a long term flexible commitment to the ambition of resettling at least 125 refugees in Herefordshire over a period of five years.  As part of this approach, authority will be delegated to the cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing to agree numbers and services procured in any one year, subject to funding instructions from the government.

The council and its partners have successfully resettled 95 refugees in Hereford between 2016 and 2019. The families have been welcomed by local people and have made a positive contribution to their local communities in a variety of ways.

Local Authorities are being asked by the Home Office to consider making a further pledge to accommodate refugees through resettlement programmes.  The council has been formally approached by the Director of Resettlement, Asylum Support and Integration for UK Visas and Immigration to confirm how many refugees Herefordshire will pledge to resettle in 2020-21.

Whilst the Home Office has only announced a resettlement programme for 2020/21 at this time, it is anticipated that future years will bring further resettlement programme announcements.  In light of this it is proposed that Herefordshire adopts a similar approach to other local authorities who are exploring a longer term policy approach to refugee resettlement, to enable a prompt response to future requests.