HEREFORDSHIRE Council leaders yesterday (June 4) approved plans to resettle at least 125 more refugees in the county over the next five years.

The county has welcomed some 95 refugees from war-torn Syria since May 2016.

And councillors say the resettlement scheme has been a success with most of the refugees who came to Herefordshire remaining in the county.

The Home Office announced a new global resettlement scheme last year and the council was approached by to confirm how many refugees the county will pledge to resettle in 2020-21.

Health and adult wellbeing cabinet member Pauline Crockett said the proposals would build on the successful welcoming of more than 90 refugees.

“All the costs to the council in resettling refugees over the five years are met by the Home Office,” she said.

“The main challenge to timing and managing resettlement is sourcing family sized accommodation.

“This is still most likely to be found in Hereford city.”

Green Party councillor Ellie Chowns said she was really pleased that the council will be looking to resettle at least 125 refugees.

“It’s really important to send the signal that we want to extend a welcome to as many refugees as possible on the basis not just of compassion for the traumas they’ve been through which are unimaginable but also the richness and diversity they bring to our county.”

Councillor Jonathan Lester said his Conservative group was very proud of the work done during the previous administration.

“The council was very successful in taking ownership of the obligation to accept refugees into Herefordshire and accommodate them accordingly.

“It’s not only a testament to the staff for being so successful in conducting the integration scheme but it’s a reflection also of how welcoming people in Herefordshire have been to those who, through no fault of their own, have had to abandon everything that they know, suffer hardships we can only imagine and have to start a new life all over again.”

Councillor Terry James, Liberal Democrat group leader, also endorsed the proposals.

“We are very lucky that we live in this country when we see what is going on in the rest of the world and in America at present,” he said.

“We are very lucky that we live in a very civilised and compassionate society.”

The status of refugees resettled under the scheme means that on arrival to the UK they can benefit from public funds and seek employment.

At the end of the five-year programme they are able to make a claim for settled status, if they are not able or do not wish to return to their country of origin.

If settled status is awarded, they may remain living in the UK indefinitely, although the resettlement programme and any support provided by within it will cease after five years.