“Be Proud” As Wrexham Looks Set to Welcome Syrian Refugee Families

Wrexham looks set to welcome and offer safety to up to five Syrian families, if plans are approved by councillors next week.

In a report due to go before the Executive Board on Tuesday, it has been recommended that during 2016-17 Wrexham provides safety for up to five Syrian families from the ‘Syrian Refugee Resettlement Scheme.

Yesterday the Leader of Wrexham Council Mark Pritchard told us how he hoped Wrexham would ‘be proud’ at the town ‘offering an opportunity to five families’, and spoke of the existing ‘proud history of working with refugees and immigrants in the area’.

Cllr Pritchard went on to say: “These families will not be taking council houses, they will be housed in the private sector. They are from the refugee camps and have not travelled across Europe and jumped the queue.”

Those who will come to the UK are offered five years full humanitarian protection and are entitled to work and claim benefits where required as though they are UK residents.

Cllr Pritchard explained those families with primary school age children are given preference, and all are subject to a ‘challenging vetting process’.

“These families don’t want to come here, they want to be at home living in their own country, but they can’t be. We want to work with them to be successful and that we do not fail them. They have put up with their own difficulties already.”

A statement released by Wrexham Council regarding the proposals, reads: “We feel that this a proportionate response bearing in mind the pressures on communities and public services.”

The continuing conflict in Syria has forced an estimated 6.5million people from their homes, displaced 2.7million people to neighbouring countries and millions more are in dire need of humanitarian aid within Syria.

In the report it states: “The number of individuals or families accepted onto the Scheme is decided locally. From a community cohesion perspective and based on our experience as a dispersal area it is felt that families would be easier to integrate than single people.

“A ‘family’ could range from a couple with one child, a couple with several children, and lone parent families. Overall, we would expect the upper limit of Syrian refugees in 2016-17 to be 25-30 people. An agreement to take up to five families in Wrexham is consistent with informal discussions across North Wales.”

The Home Office will be funding the scheme, with documentation tiering downwards over the years, explained as: “Financial package to meet the costs of the arrivals in terms of accommodation and integration support and education. Funding is weighted to year 1 of arrival, and tapered from years 2-5. Staffing costs to cover administration of the scheme will also be considered.”

Wrexham is one of many local authorities taking part in the scheme, which is voluntary, and it is noted ‘all 22 Welsh Local Authorities have indicated their support in principle’ although that position has not been ratified by all.

Officers at Wrexham Council will now begin looking at how the scheme could work in Wrexham, including – sourcing private rented sector properties, co-ordinating support to help the families settling into life in Wrexham, including where necessary learning English or Welsh and finally working with partners across north Wales to provide both efficient and effective support.