The LGA Asylum and Refugee Task Group, which reports to the Community Well-being Board, aims to ensure that the government takes into account the full impact of its policies on local government and works with the LGA to ensure that adequate resources are in place to meet the needs of these vulnerable people. This project will continue to work, in partnership with the other Local Government Associations and Migration Partnerships, with Government, to ensure that the interests of local government are fully represented.
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Developing recommendations around destitution
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Work with BIA to examine possible actions to address policy causes of destitution
Work with the Home Office to look at potential alternatives to the Section 9 process, especially based on the successful experiences of other countries
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Joint Committee on Human Rights and Joseph Rowntree Foundation have outlined their recent reports and recommendations at previous meetings
BIA head of enforcement and removals attended November Task Group meeting
Paper agreed re possible alternatives to S9
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Working with the Inter Agency Partnership regarding counting destitution project to try to ascertain numbers and key issues
Draft guidance on Section 9 from BIA will be discussed with the local government associations and the ADCS
LGA and No Recourse to Public Funds Network to have third meeting with BIA Enforcement and Compliance officers on 15 January to discuss better joint working around enforcement and removals
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To secure full engagement with the Home Office and across government as a whole so that there is clear engagement and consultation with local government on policy and practice implementation
Ensure regional strategic co-ordination arrangements utilised by the Home Office
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LGA and regions represented on National Asylum Stakeholder Forum.
Lobbying BIA re impact of case resolution on local authorities led to extension to programme and grant funding
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Further work to consider the impacts of new stakeholder engagement structures of BIA within the context of the BIA regionalisation
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Ensuring local authority funding for asylum support
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Continue to lobby on leaving care grant funding
Work with local authority-led No Recourse to Public Funds Network on identifying costs to Local Authorities of supporting people without access to public funds
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A letter from the ADASS/ADCS Asylum Taskforce has been sent to all Local Authority Chief Executives asking that a lead officer be identified to take responsibility for identifying costs and numbers of persons with NRPF and their response to requests for services.
Meeting with DCSF & Home Office ministers to be arranged re leaving care funding
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Multi agency UASC Reform Steering Group to respond to Home Office consultation, including regional consultation events
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Response made in conjunction with ADASS, ADCS, ADSS Cymru, COSLA, London Councils, NCCG, LGA and the WLGA, informed by the Refugee Council and Children's Commissioner
Task Group position outlined in to Peers debating the UK Borders Bill
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Working with key partners to issue a paper that looks at the cost implications of reform.
Liaising with the ADCS regarding dialogue with BIA regarding post 18 returns of UASC
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Overseeing the development of the New Asylum Model
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Engage with IND regarding the New Asylum Model and its progress and evaluation regionally, including ensuring that Migration Partnerships are fully involved.
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Problems with minors segment flagged up in UASC consultation response
Attended BIA case management workshop to look at improvements
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Support ADCS work with BIA to reduce cost to social service departments regarding staff attending first reporting event
Monitor potential pressure points for regions / cities which host NAM Centres and impacts upon asylum populations within the locality, including UASC centres
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Working on integration, cohesion and migration
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Work with IDeA, LG Analysis & Research and the Audit Commission to identify and disseminate good practice examples, including local data sources
Engage with EU dimension to this work
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LGA represented on the Migration Impacts Forum and Migration and national Migration Group
Outlined key lines around destitution and cohesion to Commission on Integration Cohesion, CLG committee inquiry into cohesion and migration and House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee
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Head of LGAR to outline research finding on migration and East of England to outline good practice on migration at January 08 meeting
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