Solution likely on asylum-seeker funds
Sarah Cooper
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
The government is to cede ground to the 10 councils who are fighting for more money to cover the cost of looking after lone asylum-seeking children.
Ministers agreed to work with the 10 local authorities - who have the highest number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in their areas - after Kent County Council met with the Local Government Association, London Councils, junior children's minister Kevin Brennan and immigration minister Liam Byrne.
The 10 authorities want the government to reimburse them for all of the costs they face from providing services to unaccompanied asylum seeker children. In West Sussex, for example, the council spends £3.5m a year on these children, but only gets £2m for the work.
Following the meeting, Conservative councillor Paul Carter, leader of Kent County Council, said: "The government has agreed to work with the affected local authorities to find a positive solution to the funding crisis within a matter of weeks."
Robert Dunn, deputy lead member for children at West Sussex County Council, added: "We welcome the government agreeing to negotiate with the 10 authorities and its commitment to working towards a solution in the next four weeks. After that, we can negotiate a long-term agreement, which is desperately needed."
A Home Office spokesman said the UK Borders Agency and the Department for Children, Schools and Families would continue to work with councils and another meeting with ministers would be held.
"We recognise a small number of councils consider there are outstanding issues about funding services for this group of vulnerable young children," he said. "Some face special circumstances and we have made a fair offer for additional funds. This reflects the fact that the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children supported by local authorities has fallen in recent years, due in part to our stronger borders."
He added the government's policy paper on asylum-seeking children, Better Outcomes: The Way Forward, outlined plans to establish specialist local authorities that will get longer term funding from the government to support their work with asylum-seeking children.
