Craven to take at least 15 refugees from Afghanistan
They'll stay in a large property in Skipton which was previously used to house Syrian refugees
Craven District Council has made a commitment to take in at least 15 Afghan refugees who are fleeing the country following the Taliban takeover.
The authority made the pledge to the government’s plans to resettle up to 20,000 Afghans after receiving an offer from a private landlord for the use of a large property in Skipton which was previously used to house Syrian refugees.
Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday, Conservative council leader Richard Foster said it would be “churlish” to not take up the offer.
He said: “Some of these families are sizeable and therefore require large properties which don’t just drop out the sky.
“The same property was offered to Syrian families and it was very useful.
“We have got a lot more people who need housing, but I think this is more of an imminent effect on these refugees who are coming here from quite traumatic scenes.”
Labour councillor Chris Rose also said: “Anybody who is a refugee is fleeing from something awful that we have never had any experience of.
“I would not want us to hold back in supporting them wherever we possibly can. Our support is vital.”
Across North Yorkshire, councils are expected to welcome 100 Afghan refugees through the government’s resettlement scheme by the end of September.
Selby, Hambleton and Harrogate councils have already accepted 42 of these.