Harrogate Council pledges to welcome Afghan refugees
The council offered resettlement to 19 Afghans in June.
Last updated 19th Aug 2021
The leader of Harrogate Borough Council says the the borough is ready to help house Afghan refugees who are fleeing the country following the Taliban takeover.
Conservative Richard Cooper is supporting government scheme which will see up to 20,000 Afghans offered refuge over the next few years.
The council offered resettlement to 19 Afghans in June under a similar scheme - which helped former translators and others who worked for the UK military in the country.
Speaking at a meeting on Wednesday, Councillor Cooper said this was the “right, humane and just thing to do”.
He said: “Back in June, Harrogate Borough Council pledged to take its fair share of the quota of Afghan interpreters who were seeking relocation to this country.
“We not only did that – we pledged to take more than our quota and we have done so.
“The government will now be coming forward with a new scheme for relocating Afghan refugees and on behalf of the council I want to make that pledge again that we will not only take our quota that the government suggests, but we will take more.
“Harrogate is a welcoming, tolerant and diverse place.
“And these people are in need of our assistance and deserve our assistance.”