Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council, Councillor Hamida Ali

Officer: Interim Corporate Director Children, Young People & Education, Debbie Jones

Key decision: No

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

RESOLVED: To

1.    Note the rapid increase in asylum seekers placed by the Home Office in the borough in recent months with the resulting pressure on council and NHS services and the estimated financial impact for the council.

2.    Note the forecast budget pressures for 2021-24 due to the disproportionate number of asylum seeking children and young people the council continues to care for.

3.    Note the serious concerns on the reported shortcomings in health protection and environmental health in the hotels in Croydon, which are being used as medium term accommodation for families and individuals in premises that were not designed as accommodation for so many people for such long periods of time.

4.    Note that the Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning have written to the Secretary of State to raise serious concerns about the funding arrangements for unaccompanied asylum seeking children and young people alongside the rapidly increased number of asylum seekers placed in the borough.

Cllr Hamida Ali (Chair) reminded colleagues of the work of the Borough in welcoming asylum seekers in the past and referred to the financial demands around the growing population of refugees. Members noted 900 currently temporarily housed in 5 hotels in Croydon. There is no funding provided to the Council for this, despite responsibility for a number of duties. The Chair referred to concerns raised with the Home Office and spoke about previously raised issues.

Cllr Ali outlined the paper and invited guest speakers Reverend Linda Fox (West Croydon Baptist Church) and Adam Yesir (Co-Chair, Croydon Refugees and New Communities Forum) to introduce the report.

Mr Yesir provided colleagues with a summary on the scope and work of his role and the forum’s interaction between young unaccompanied asylum seekers and community organisations. Mr Yesir spoke about current arrangements with hotels in the borough which accommodated them and informed members that there were no overal issues for the majority. He referred however, to the Crystal Palace hotel which was overcrowded and held many who were suffering from mental health problems and other vulnerabilities. There were concerns that financial gain was a priority for the hotel and Mr Yesir said that he felt intervention was needed by the council. Engagement between the Forum and the Council was good, but he referred to failures by the Home Office to be involved after placement of unaccompanied Asylum Seekers.

The Chair welcomed Reverend Fox who outlined her work around volunteering at the Croydon Refugee Day Centre.

The speaker referred to the work of the Family Education Project and reminded colleagues of the intolerable situation for those children who are remaining in hotels. There were many problems, in particular around schooling and difficulties in obtaining funding for uniforms, school meals, travel and provision of sportswear, amongst others. Delays due to the pandemic have made the situation worse but the Reverend asked members to note the incredible willingness of volunteers in trying to help.

Cabinet colleagues welcomed the report and acknowledged achievements made. Cllr Ali expressed appreciation for the clarity and humanisation of the refugees’ situation and the work of the speakers’ organisations and also that of council colleagues.

Members were invited to comment and made several points:

•         The experiences of families are so important and feedback from the speakers is most welcome.

•         Croydon Council is adamant of their role in holding the Home Office to account and are putting pressure on to deal with public and safeguarding issues and to find viable plans for dispersal.

•         It is recognised that more needs to be done to ensure that the quality of provision of forward accommodation is appropriate and acceptable.

•         There are frustrations that there is a £9k shortfall for each care-leaver in Croydon which is an additional strain on local services and resources.

•         Funding gaps will continue to put pressure on the council and National Govt need to commit to provide financial support to relieve that burden. These concerns must be highlighted to the Minister.

•         Croydon is funding a national issue at a local level, and this is not sustainable. A co-ordinated approach is vital to approaching Govt for additional support.

•         As a Cabinet, are we assured that issues are being raised by the Director of Public Health and that the statutory powers are being exercised?

- Members were assured that the Council is very clear about their statutory responsibilities and in relation to the asylum community, special safeguarding communication is in place to ensure clarity around responding to their needs - and ensuring that statutory powers are used.

•         Is the Council factoring in these costs - some of them for basic needs – in its projections when approaching govt for more money?

- There is recognition that costs will change and £2.35million was secured for this financial year. Pressure remains around future costs, but council colleagues are constantly reviewing individual cases - particularly for those ineligible for grant funding - and will continue to raise this with govt.

The Chair thanked the speakers for their valuable testimonies and asked Cabinet colleagues to agree the recommendations.

The recommendations were agreed.

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

RESOLVED: To

1.    Note the rapid increase in asylum seekers placed by the Home Office in the borough in recent months with the resulting pressure on council and NHS services and the estimated financial impact for the council.

2.    Note the forecast budget pressures for 2021-24 due to the disproportionate number of asylum-seeking children and young people the council continues to care for.

3.    Note the serious concerns on the reported shortcomings in health protection and environmental health in the hotels in Croydon, which are being used as medium-term accommodation for families and individuals in premises that were not designed as accommodation for so many people for such long periods of time.

4.    Note that the Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning have written to the Secretary of State to raise serious concerns about the funding arrangements for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people alongside the rapidly increased number of asylum seekers placed in the borough.