STRATFORD District Council (SDC) is calling on the government to ease entry requirements to Britain for Ukrainian refugees.
Liberal Democrats gained the unanimous support of fellow councillors for a letter to be sent to the Home Secretary urging the government to do more to enable councils and charities to be part of an ambitious but safe and secure resettlement scheme, and to reiterate the readiness of SDC to welcome refugees.
The scheme and other current visa entry schemes available to Ukrainian refugees are
incredibly bureaucratic said Lib-Dem councillor Manuela Perteghella, who moved the motion, She said: “The latest statistics on the Homes for Ukraine scheme show that less than ten per cent of applicants have had a visa granted.
“I also want to thank the immense generosity of our residents, including many families in my
ward, who have in the last two months donated, fund-raised and opened their homes and
their hearts”.
Councillors from across the political spectrum expressed their full support and solidarity
with the Ukrainian people, and recognised the immense generosity of the district’s
residents, who have sent a clear message that they wanted the government to do all it could to help refugees fleeing the conflict.
