Ukrainian refugee arrivals "imminent" in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
105 residents have offered a place in their homes
More than 50 Ukraine refugees could be arriving in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area within the coming days.
They will be matched up with the 105 residents who have offered a place in their homes, or, in a couple of cases, in self-contained properties, under the Homes for Ukraine national scheme.
Some refugees may already be in the area, through the family visa scheme, although the Government is unable to tell the council who, or where, they might be.
The council has been working to try and ensure that checks on properties and on individuals offering to help have been carried out in time, with staff working at weekends and in the evenings.
Standard background checks are needed for all of those offering accommodation to adults with advanced checks needed for anyone offering a home to vulnerable adults, or to children. All of those aged 16 or over in a host house needs to undergo the process of having an individual background check.
Councillors were told on Monday that, so far, none of the properties offered had been found to be unsuitable although in a few cases minor changes were suggested, including fitting fire alarms.
The council’s overview and scrutiny committee heard that advice being offered by the Government continued to be updated, on an almost daily basis, and there were still some areas of uncertainty.
The council and its partners will have welcome points at the airport and train stations and is in the process of developing a welcome pack containing essential local information in Polish, Russian and Ukrainian with an English version being given to local hosts.
For each refugee the council will be given £10,000 to help meet its expenses with each of the refugees being offered a visa for three years and with the same rights and access to services and benefits as local residents. The majority of the ‘guests’ as the council prefers to call them, are expected to be women and children.
Committee members heard that there had been some concern about access to school places and GP services with some local schools and medical centres already over-subscribed.
Said Cllr Vikki Slade: “There is a risk that some residents will feel frustrated if, perhaps, services they have been unable to access are able to be accessed, quite rightly and understandably, by people arriving. I’m thinking in particular about school places: we have got families who are home-educating their children because they can’t get into schools at the moment, and that’s going to cause some community tensions.”
She said that the council would need to carefully consider its messaging to residents if it was to avoid problems.
The meeting heard that the council had already received a wide range of offers from people, who might not have a room to offer in their homes, but could provide equipment for children, pre-school places, or offers of work; or could help in other ways.
Offers are being collated on 01202 123987 or via email – resettlement@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.
An appeal may be made for specific needs once the refugees have arrived in the area.