Reform-led Lancashire county council to quit refugee resettlement scheme

The Reform-led Lancashire county council will withdraw from the government’s refugee resettlement scheme, one of its cabinet members has said. Councillor Joshua Roberts announced plans for Lancashire to leave the scheme, which would make it the first local authority to do so. It would mean that Lancashire would no longer participate in the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) and the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP). The authority coordinates these schemes on behalf of 14 unitary and district councils in Lancashire that have responsibilities for housing. Roberts, the cabinet member for rural affairs, environment and communities, has said that money spent on resettling refugees would instead be diverted to help support vulnerable residents and veterans in Lancashire. While the schemes are funded by central government, Reform UK has said they affect “council resources” and put “significant pressure on the local housing market”. Roberts said: “This proposal is about fairness. Reform UK was elected last May to make sure that the people who live, work and contribute to Lancashire are put at the front of the queue and are not disadvantaged. “We are calling on the Labour government to stop placing refugees in Lancashire and instead redirect public funds to better support our vulnerable residents and veterans. …