Agenda item

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Communities

Councillor Rebecca Langton, Portfolio Holder for Communities, and Amy Goulden, Senior Community Cohesion Manager, introduced the report seeking permission to claim and draw down Home Office grant income relating to resettlement of vulnerable refugees during financial year 2020/21. The bulk of this income will fund services for this cohort, sited in the voluntary sector.

Councillor Langton thanked Amy for her work in co-ordinating the scheme.

Resolved to

(1)  approve the acceptance of grant income to enable the continued participation of Nottingham City Council in resettlement through financial year 2020-21, resettling up to 25 additional individuals in the city;

(2)  approve Nottingham City Council continuing to act as accountable body for neighbouring district authorities, supporting their continued participation in resettlement; the Council retains management costs from the grant to enable work. Services include community development, partnership and financial management, and administrative services. A combined pledge of up to 60 additional individuals will attract additional ring-fenced income of approximately £796,950 over financial years 2020-2025;

(3)  approve to draw down relevant grant income, and the delegation of authority to the relevant Portfolio Holder and responsible Director to spend the funds in accordance with Nottingham City Council’s financial regulations;

(4)  continue extension and adaptation of the current grant-funded service level agreement with Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum for a further year, equating to expenditure in 2020-21 of £416,767 (including support for existing 2015-19 resettled refugees, and new refugees).

Reasons for decision:

·  This proposal is in accordance with the Council Plan commitment to work with partners to be a city that welcomes those in need of shelter or refuge.

·  By continuing to draw down Home Office grant funding and the Council will be able to continue to the resettlement of refugees into Nottingham City and South Nottinghamshire within the national scheme, at no additional cost. The sums listed in the recommendations are estimated and subject to change, dependant upon size, the make-up and specific needs of the families resettled (and any additional funding claimed for any complex cases); the total amount will not exceed £1,500,000 additional income.

·  The recommendation to continue to work with Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum (NNRF) in a grant funding arrangement is based upon two key factors; firstly NNRF were successful in winning the communities of identity grant funding as the lead voluntary organisation for asylum seekers and refugees between 2019-2022, to which some of the resettlement scheme funding was previously added, in order to support the rapid set-up of the scheme locally. Secondly NRRF have been able to collaboratively support the growth and development of this scheme, accommodating development of casework, employability training and interpreting/translation for resettled refugees. This work creates wider benefits for other refugee and asylum seeking groups in the city.

Other options considered:

·  Not participating in the continuation of the scheme and not accessing this additional grant income. Considered but not accepted by the Portfolio Holder as this is a Council Plan priority.

·  To shift from grant-aid to a commissioned basis: rejected as resettlement is a Council Plan commitment being delivered in a way that supports a number of interlinked services for asylum seekers and refugees currently funded through the Communities of Identity grant.