Issue - meetings

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Mayor, the

Mayor and Cabinet agreed that:

(1)  the proposed timetable for receiving the further 100 households in the

borough, under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme (and the

Vulnerable Children’s Scheme) as set out be approved;

(2) the proposed expansion of the Lewisham Syrian Refugee Offer be noted

and the tendering and appointment of a support resettlement service be

approved;

(3) the offer set out now proposes the Council works with its partners and

local organisations to scale up and commission new support services as

appropriate; and

(4) as the Government funding arrangements is only up until 2020 and that

funding beyond this is not clear, the Cabinet Member for Refugees writes to

the Home Secretary requesting an extension of the Government’s current

pledge to continue to support the resettlement of vulnerable refugees.

The Mayor presented the report and thanked Councillor Bonavia, who was

unable to be present, for his support. The Mayor mentioned the need to

develop English language skills and suggested that officers might review the

ESOL scheme in place for the existing families who had been settled in the

borough. The Mayor highlighted the progress being made with another

significant manifesto commitment and said he looked forward to Lewisham

being recognised as the leading London borough for refugee resettlement.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Mayor, the

Mayor and Cabinet, for the reasons set out in the report:

RESOLVED by six votes to nil that:

(1)  the proposed timetable for receiving the further 100 households in the

borough, under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme (and the

Vulnerable Children’s Scheme) as set out be approved;

(2) the proposed expansion of the Lewisham Syrian Refugee Offer be noted

and the tendering and appointment of a support resettlement service be

approved;

(3) the offer set out now proposes the Council works with its partners and

local organisations to scale up and commission new support services as

appropriate; and

(4) as the Government funding arrangements is only up until 2020 and that

funding beyond this is not clear, the Cabinet Member for Refugees writes to

the Home Secretary requesting an extension of the Government’s current

pledge to continue to support the resettlement of vulnerable refugees.