Three Hertfordshire councils commit to rehoming Afghan families
The ARAP scheme was announced in December 2020 and launched in April
Three districts in Hertfordshire have confirmed they will help families from Afghanistan resettle in the county after the Taliban seized control of the capital Kabul.
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) was announced in December 2020 ahead of the withdrawal of British Forces from the country to ensure those who assisted the army and face risk to life would be able to apply for resettlement.
The scheme launched on April 1, but has come into sharp focus in the past week as the Taliban regained control of the country.
On Sunday, the Taliban declared the “war is over” after taking control of capital Kabul and putting an interim government in power.
It has raised concerns about the welfare of those who assisted British and Allied Forces during the 20-year conflict, and what those countries should be doing to support their families.
ARAP is intended to run indefinitely and the Home Office say that since June 22, 2,000 former Afghan staff and their families have been resettled in the UK.
It is separate from today’s (August 18) announcement from the Prime Minister that the UK will resettle 20,000 refugees from the country over the next five years.
In Hertfordshire, councils have been determining whether they are able to take part in either scheme, and so far just a third of councils have committed to rehoming Afghan families as part of ARAP.
Councils have cited problems with access to their own housing stock and the price of privately rented accommodation as barriers to taking part.
Welwyn Hatfield, Dacorum and Three Rivers have all confirmed that they will be participating in the scheme, with the first family arriving last week.
Welwyn Hatfield backed the plans at a meeting of the Cabinet on August 10, with an expectation of helping a maximum of three families with a two-bedroom need.
Council leader Tony Kingsbury (Conservative, Welwyn West) told Cabinet: “We need to support these people, they’ve supported us as well so absolutely. I think it’s a good news story from that point of view and we should be supporting it, and we are.”
Dacorum Borough Council confirmed that they will be resettling two families from Afghanistan this September, while Three Rivers District Council will also be resettling two families with the first arriving in the district last week.
However, four councils have said they are not taking part in the scheme currently – although some have not ruled out reviewing their stance.
St Albans City and District Council said that they are waiting for details on the new resettlement scheme before being able to make a decision on how many families they will be able to resettle.
Karen Dragovic, Head of Housing for St Albans City and District Council, said: “It’s our understanding that the Government is looking to set out details of a new resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees in light of the worsening crisis. When that information is revealed, we will review it immediately.
“We would hope that their proposals will include the funding local authorities will need to cover the resettlement costs as well as staff time and resources.
“We were at the forefront of the Syrian Resettlement Programme and chaired the meetings that District Councils across Hertfordshire had to ensure an effective response.
“We met our ambitious target of resettling 50 individuals, the second highest figure across the county, and are still involved in supporting them and locating suitable, affordable housing in a District where private-rent levels are very high.”
Hertsmere Borough Council said that they are unable to commit to participating in the scheme, as they do not own housing stock and have several hundred people already on their housing register.
Around 200 individuals are currently being accommodated in two hotels within the borough, as they wait for a home to become available.
A Hertsmere Borough Council spokesperson said: “Some families have needed to be accommodated on a temporary basis whilst they wait for their new home to become available.
“The Home Office has decided the best solution is to use hotels during this time. Those hotels are spread across the country and two hotels in our borough are being used for this scheme, with in the region of 200 individuals having been accommodated there under this scheme. We are proactively liaising with the Home Office to provide what assistance we can.
“The use of the hotels is a temporary measure, but at this time we cannot say how long they will be required. As accommodation becomes available these families will move to their new homes and over time the number staying in the hotels will gradually reduce.”
North Hertfordshire District Council said existing housing pressures have been exacerbated by the pandemic, and they are unable to take part in the scheme.
A spokesperson for Broxbourne Borough Council said: ““The Council has every sympathy with the position of the Afghan people who are having to relocate to this country. However, as the Council does not own any housing stock it is not in a position to assist.”
Watford Borough Councillor Stephen Johnson, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “The government has approached all local authorities in the UK to understand their capacity to provide support, including housing, to those displaced by the current situation in Afghanistan.
“We are in ongoing dialogue with government about what this means for Watford and it is hoped that, following the recall of parliament, councils will receive further guidance and updates to help inform the next steps”.
Stevenage Borough Council and East Herts District Council did not respond at the time of publication.