SOUTHEND Council must find almost £2 million to help provide 14 homes for refugees from war-torn countries.

The Government’s Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is expected to provide a grant of £1,392,000 to provide a minimum of 12 homes for Ukrainian households living in Southend as part of one of the official visa schemes establishing in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

A further £463,336 in additional funding will be available to provide a minimum of two larger four-bedroom homes for Afghan families currently living in temporary accommodation in the city.

The grants will come from a £500million fund set aside by the Government.

However, the council, which is expecting a £7.3million deficit in this year’s budget, will have to match-fund the grants and additionally find the money to refurbish the properties it acquires.

A report was presented to cabinet members on Tuesday.

Ian Gilbert, councillor responsible for economic recovery, regeneration and housing, said: “It asks members’ agreement to potentially investing some capital funding in terms of support for refugees, for the Ukranians and Afghans currently residents within Southend. 

“Members will know these issues were placed upon us at short notice by the pressure of events and our council officers and our local community really has gone above and beyond the call of duty in order to help people fleeing these desperate circumstances to be safe and well in Southend. This reports sets out some further steps we are taking in conjunction and at the request of Government to help deal with that situation in the longer term.”

The report said: “This is a £500million capital fund to ensure arrivals on Afghan and Ukraine schemes are provided with sufficient longer-term accommodation whilst mitigating the expected increased pressures on local authority homelessness and housing services and reducing emergency, temporary and bridging accommodation costs."

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In September it was reported 90 refugees had been living in The Park Inn by Radisson Palace, on Church Road, Southend since September 2021.

Rochford Council also confirmed close to 100 refugees were living at the Skylark Hotel, off Aviation Way.