South Norfolk ready to support and re-house Ukrainian refugees, says Council leader
Offices, committee rooms and the council chamber will provide temporary accommodation to those coming from Ukraine
Local authorities in South Norfolk have a vital role to play in supporting and re-housing Ukrainian refugees that come to our county- and so do their buildings.
That's according to their council's leader John Fuller. Who confirmed offices, committee rooms and even their chamber would provide temporary accommodation to those who come to the UK from the war-torn country.
"They can be used for two or three days but no longer than that whilst we match Ukrainian families with Norfolk families. While we ensure that everyone has the right documentation and paperwork, we must crucially create a register of which children go where and if people have particular health needs, we need to match them with doctors.
What we've got to plan for is the large number of people who have no longer connection. We've got to get them documented, match them with families in this country who want to offer them a safe and secure home. That's where the council come in, we're going to act almost like a 'dating agency' for Ukrainian families with local families and support them all the way through"
He says the task to come will be like no other:
"At the moment, we just don't know how many families are going to come here. I think in terms of five or possibly as many as ten coach loads of families, who will arrive in South Norfolk in just the clothes they are standing up in. This is a world different from possibly the whole country taking 20,000 Afghan refugees.
This is too important to be left to chance or informal DIY arrangements. It does need the local council to co-ordinate not just the family matching, but also a huge network of volunteers that have been practiced during Covid. We're going to call on those volunteers again to help ensure these families have a safe and secure environment".