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SOCIAL SERVICES NORTH WEST (NWASSA)
MEETING ON 16 JUNE 2000 AT ST HELENS
REPORT OF THE CO-ORDINATOR
ASYLUM SEEKERS UPDATE
1. Matter for Consideration:
Recent developments relating to the dispersal of asylum seekers, with particular reference to the North West
Region.
2. Introduction:
Members will recall that the issue of asylum seekers was the subject of a report to the previous Committee
Meeting. An officer from Manchester representing the North West Consortium also attended to provide information
on current developments. It was agreed that further updates be provided. The Professional Assistant has contacted
Social Services representatives from the Consortia and information provided along with recent national developments
is the subject of this report. Members will no doubt be aware that there has been recent press coverage of asylum
seekers placed by private companies in Liverpool and Nelson.
3. Information:
3.1. The North West Consortium's East side office - representing Greater Manchester and Lancashire - recently
sent out a briefing note to all Chief Executives in the region, outlining concerns over direct contracting by the
Home Office with private sector companies. Private sector activity has caused concern due to lack of co-ordination
driven by economic factors. It is hoped that the Home Office will soon be in a position to transfer existing provision
to the Consortium once a formal contract has been signed. This will present the Consortium with the opportunity
to act as the managing agent for the placement of all asylum seekers in the area. In the meantime, the Home Office
will have to continue to procure accommodation to relieve pressures in the south.
3.2. The contracts are in the process of being drawn up for signing with the Home Office, and the Consortium will
hold the contract for all authorities in the area and in turn have a series of smaller contracts with each authority
identifying capacity, price and operational timetables. A pricing model has also been proposed.
3.3. During negotiations, it has become apparent that it would be more appropriate for two contracts to be signed
independent of each other, one to cover the Greater Manchester authorities and the other to cover the remainder
of the Region. The contracts will share key features, but the split will enable placements and accommodation standards
to be managed, and redistribute contract income. Consortium officers are seeking legal advice about the status
of this new arrangement.
3.4. Numbers
The West side of the Regional consortium (Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria) has not been happy with the rate of
referrals to date and a deficit (of £180,000) has been accrued, caused by a lack of referrals (with the resultant
lack of payments). Many asylum seekers who were supposed to have come north have stayed in London. (There has also
been a recent fall in the number of asylum applications, possibly caused by new fines on lorry drivers and growing
recognition abroad of the difficulty of entering the UK.) The deficit has caused a nervousness about committing
future resources. Though a good network of officers and agencies exists, they are very much under pressure and
staff numbers are small. A reception centre is used on the West side where health screening, education and social
services are also involved in providing a service. The authorities involved are seeking assurances about reimbursement
of initial costs. There is a general shortage of money for accommodation and service agreements. Costs are around
£200 per single and £300 plus per family according to estimates made locally. Measures are in place
to take full advantage of any extra resources should they be forthcoming from Central Government
3.5 The numbers received on the East side between December 1999 and March 2000 were 191 single people, 85 families
(averaging just over 2 children per household) and 5 couples. These figures do not include in-country referrals.
On the West side, during the period from 6 December 1999 to 31 March 2000, 155 single applicants and 63 families
arrived (a total of 369 people). From 1 April to 2 June 2000 a further 62 single asylum seekers and 11 families
(a total of 97 people), arrived via the normal consortium arrangements. However from 13 April to 13 March an extra
148 people were placed in the Merseyside area via Home Office contracts with private companies.
3.6. The Audit Commission Report
In its recently published report 'Another Country', the Audit Commission claims that the system is in danger of
collapse unless there is an immediate injection of cash to help the regions cope with new arrivals. Without support,
the Commission fears, people will drift back south, where over 85% are located in London alone. People are, the
report says, being housed badly via poorly regulated private companies. There has been a failure to secure sufficient
accommodation. Without regard to local circumstances and support, there are serious concerns about the management
of accommodation provided as reported in the national press. Community tensions have been exacerbated by negative
media coverage, and legal advice and interpretation is in short supply outside the capital. A full summary of the
report with diagrams is available from the Audit Commission website at http://www.audit-commision.gov.uk/ac2/NR/LocalA/brasylum.htm
.
3.7 The Commission acknowledge that good practice does exist but it is patchy and hindered by:-
· Poor information about asylum seekers needs, which undermines planning
· Language barriers
· Low staff awareness of asylum seekers rights and entitlements
· The reluctance of some schools and GPs to accept asylum seekers especially where services are already overstretched.
3.8 Where dispersal succeeds, local agencies have developed co-ordinated strategies to meet the needs of this vulnerable group, including:
· The greater accessibility of local services
· Positive public relations strategies and sensitive housing policies
· More employment and training schemes are also needed to promote the integration of those allowed to stay in the UK.
3.9 Central Government can also help by sustaining faster decisions on applications, giving out more positive messages
to counteract media negativity and - particularly relevant to local authorities - adequate funding to cover the
reasonable costs of local services as well as promoting value for money. The Audit Commission envisages that, without
adequate support, asylum seekers could be trapped in a cycle of social exclusion and dependency in their new communities,
or be forced to drift back to London.
3.10 The key recommendations of the Audit Commission report for regional consortia and local authorities are:
· Establish clear managerial and political leadership for regional consortia
· Carry out a strategic review of services, priorities and resources for asylum seekers and refugees, considering how resources can be pooled to develop joint provision.
· Identify the needs and profile of all asylum seekers and refugees within the area, ensuring that data is shared between agencies.
· Establish information systems to monitor the take up of services among asylum seekers and refugees and to identify the costs arising.
· Develop a public relations strategy for asylum seekers and joint procedures for communicating with the media
· Promote sensitive policing to ease community tensions
· Review accessibility of services to asylum seekers and improve access where problems are apparent (for example, through better signposting, staff training, interpretation, translation and advocacy services)
· Develop effective consultation mechanisms to involve asylum seekers and refugees and their community groups in service planning.
· Promote the development of refugee community organisations and ensure that local grant criteria address the needs of this group.
· Consider whether existing regeneration programmes, National Lottery funding or private sector funding could provide additional resources for dedicated services for asylum seekers.
4. Conclusion:
The role of Regional Consortia is highlighted by the Audit Commission, particularly with regard to the need
for strong managerial and political leadership, and good information systems to forecast the demand for local services.
From discussion with officers in the North West, it appears that the Region is working effectively in terms of
effective liaison and service integration, and should be able to meet the needs highlighted by the Commission report
provided the resourcing issues are adequately addressed. Concern has however been expressed that, to date, the
process has been more reactive than systematic.
5. Recommendations:
5.1 That the report be noted, and the efforts of those responsible for the North West Consortium to provide
a high quality service be endorsed.
5.2 That the good practice recommendations in the Audit Commission report be endorsed and the Home Office be urged
to take the necessary action to implement them.
5.3 That Social Services North West maintains a watching brief on this issue.
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