Telford & Wrekin Council's moral duty in Syrian war zone.
9th September 2015
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Councillor Sahota said: “Many people in the borough have approached me over the last few days saying how moved they are by the shocking images and stories that have been played out on our TV screens.
“I have also been extremely moved by the horrendous plight of the poor people who have been fleeing for their lives and it is therefore only right that our borough, along with many others in the UK, plays its part and we do what we can to help.
“We cannot yet say how many families we can support. Social housing in the borough is already very stretched with long waiting lists for homes. As the Council no longer has housing stock, we will be talking urgently with social housing providers and the voluntary sector in the borough to co-ordinate action.
“The Council must also get funding from Government if we are to provide meaningful help. Our budgets have already been cut by £79 million in the last five years and we face at least another £33 million cut in grant in the next three years. Government cannot simply expect councils to help tackle this situation without financial support.
“Only when details of any Government support scheme are known can we begin to be clear on how many people we can help. While I expect this to be small, it really is a case of every little helps.
“As with people fleeing Eastern Europe after World War II, Ugandan Asians fleeing Idi Amin in the 1970s and Kosovars fleeing ethnic conflict in the 1990s, Telford and Wrekin has a history of welcoming new residents and refugees alike and I am sure that this will continue.”
