Decision details

The urgent report updates the Government proposals for the dispersal and allocation of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) and refugee children across Council’s in England. The reason for the urgency is that the Government’s proposals are being implemented from July and were sent to the Council at very short notice. The next Executive meeting in September will be too late too respond to the Secretary of State.

Pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chairman decided to take the following item as an urgent item: Arrangements for the National and Regional Dispersal Scheme for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children and Refugee Children. The reason for urgency was that the Government’s proposals were being implemented from July 2016 and had been sent to the Council at very short notice. The next meeting in September 2016 would be too late to respond to the Secretary of State.

RESOLVED that

1.    The Council will be part of the national and regional dispersal scheme, accepting up to 0.7% of our general child population over time.

2.    Council Services make the necessary plans to receive children from the regional dispersal scheme on the basis of one or two a month as that is considered to be manageable for dispersal and coordination arrangements.

3.    Funding to support UASC in excess of the Government Grant, be met from the contingency in the current year.

4.    Relevant partners are included in the planning process, especially health services as there is expected to be additional health service needs associated with this vulnerable group.