Angus should be welcoming its first Afghan refugees within weeks.
The area will become homes to 10 families forced to flee the war-torn nation.
It will see up to 50 refugees moving in to homes which Angus Council has already lined up in what authority chiefs say will be a “wraparound” support package for the first families being housed here.
However, their arrival has been delayed by quarantine measures applied after the Taliban’s sudden return to power which led to the dramatic scenes around mass evacuation from the humanitarian crisis.
In June, Angus agreed to be part of the Home Office-supported Afghan Locally Employed Staff Relocation Scheme (LES).
Partnership
A multi-discipline team made up of council officers, Angus Health and Social Care Partnership, Voluntary Action Angus and other community partners was formed to take the initiative forward.
Beyond providing a home for the refugee families, the support scheme will look at areas including schooling, social work, health and wellbeing, and welfare rights.
However, the huge wave of refugees triggered by the Taliban takeover has led local authorities to re-examine their commitment to offering support.
Councillors have now agreed to commit in principle to being part of the larger Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.
Angus Council has leased 10 properties for up to two years until suitable permanent accommodation can be found.
Housing pressure
Housing manager John Morrow said: “The intention at the moment is to locate them in a more urban area.
“I wouldn’t be intending to say exactly where for reasons including security, but generally it will be more urban than rural.
“The household profile of the candidates coming to Angus under this scheme would be governed to a large extent by the type and size of properties that can be sourced from the council’s housing stock, registered social landlord partners, or the private sector.
“There is pressure on housing availability in most parts of Angus.
“There is also high demand being experienced for the wrap-around support services that are required.”
He added: “We had been expecting to receive families during the course of September and into the early part of October.
“Although we offered up homes to the Home Office, the process was interrupted by the closing days of the coalition forces pulling out of Afghanistan.”
Afghan families who had been initially housed in quarantine accommodation having come from a red travel zone are now staying in hotels around the UK.
Mr Morrow added: “Before the Home Office refer the families to local authorities they are now checking the exact needs of each of the families.
“That has started which means we’re expecting to have families referred to us in the next couple of weeks.”
Forfar councillor Lynne Devine said: “I really do want to welcome this, and especially when we have seen that the Syrian refugees have settled in really, really well.”