Homes sought to settle Afghan refugees still in Exmouth hotel

At a recent cabinet meeting of East Devon District Council an organisation in Ottery St Mary, the Ottery Refugee Response Group, asked what was being done for Afghan refugees in the area.

Many of the Afghan refugees are still without homes after fleeing the Taliban last year.

John Golding, the council's strategic lead for housing, health and the environment, said that as of Wednesday 30 March, 55 Afghan refugees were still at a 'bridging' hotel in Exmouth, organised by the Home Office.

He added: "Our housing responsibilities as a district council are pretty much limited to providing a safety net if arrangements fail in the bridging hotel.

"We work closely with Devon County Council, Exmouth Town Council and local voluntary community groups to settle Afghan evacuees into Exmouth. I think that's gone particularly well."

The government is looking predominately for large four-to-six bedroom properties to house Afghan refugees. EDDC says it has very few suitable properties available and has directed the Home Office to some of the council's housing association partners.

Leader of the council Paul Arnott (Independent East Devon Alliance and Democratic Alliance Group, Coly Valley) said: "Isn't this all absolutely heartbreaking? I'm sure we all wish we could do so much more and that we had so many empty homes that we could move people straight into.

"We have our own housing crisis. That doesn't mean we mustn't make every effort to help these people but we must be frank with government – we are a district council with limited means, with a very small available housing stock and a huge waiting list of people in serious trouble themselves waiting to get in.

"Notwithstanding that this council will do everything it can to help people from Ukraine and the existing and potentially future Afghan refugees."

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