Migration Structures in the South West

1. Migration Structures in the South West John Price Regional Partnership Manager, Migration John.w.price@gloucestershire.gov.uk Mob.: 07740561141

2. Background • 1999 Home Office policy of ‘dispersing’ asylum-seekers around the country • Regions asked to set up regional consortia to oversee regional integration • Eventually in 2003 a regional consortia set up: largely with representatives from Local Authorities and other stakeholders • Supported by a Regional Policy Manager, John Price, funded through Home Office ‘Enabling Grant’

3. Original Purpose of Enabling Grant • Overall requirement: “structures are in place to carry out the enabling function and that these are maintained at both local and regional level to ensure that there are effective links between the various organisations and agencies involved in the delivery of support” • Strict monitoring and reporting arrangements were put in place

4. Asylum-Seekers & Refugees • 2003 – 2007 emphasis of Home Office funding was entirely upon needs of asylum-seekers and refugees • 2007 challenges posed by Migrant Workers on Local Authorities led to widened remit of Enabling Grant

5. Data – Asylum Seekers • Currently approx.1150 asylum-seekers in the region supported by UKBA in designated areas – Plymouth, Swindon, Gloucestershire, Bristol and South Gloucestershire. GLOUCESTERSHIRE • Section 95 97 • Section 4 44 • Subs. Only 8

6. Data – Migrant Workers • Almost impossible to give accurate total figure. • Inlow of migrant workers to S.W. Region: • 2006/07 41230 • 2007/08 38900

7. New Structure Requirement • The Enabling Grant specified that a new structure needed “to facilitate and promote the effective contact, co-ordination and partnership working between the Strategic Migration Partnership, Local Authorities, police, Health Authorities, Employment and career services, Government Regional offices, Regional CBI/Employers Forum, Regional TUC, voluntary groups and accommodation providers”

8. Regional Structure South West Councils Links to National Fora Regional Strategic Co-Ordination Board for Migration Asylum Seekers & Refugees Forum Migrant Workers Forum Multi Agency Locality Forum

9. South West Regional Co-ordination Board for Migration • To provide a regional strategic lead in relation to the whole migration agenda • Chaired by Cllr Roger Hutchinson, South Glos, Chair of South West Councils and Assembly Member • Local Authority Membership at senior level from areas most affected by asylum dispersal and migrant workers • Chief Executive of South West Councils, UKBA Regional Director and other regional stakeholders.

10. Asylum-Seekers & Refugee Forum • Chaired by Canon Adrian Slade • to provide a regional response to issues around Asylum Seekers and newly-recognised Refugees • enables regular dialogue between key agencies involved in work on asylum issues and advises and develops work to support Asylum Seekers and Refugees

11. Migrant Workers Forum • Chaired by Nigel Costley, Regional TUC • Remit “to gather information, share experience and best practice and to enable co-operation at a regional level, on issues surrounding migrant workers. It reports to and works under the South West Regional Co-ordination Board for Migration”

12. PROJECTS • No Recourse to Public Funds • Human Trafficking. • Regional coordination – good practice, initiatives, identifying issues and feeding through to government. • Developing locality based multi agency groups. • Migrant Worker Action Plan. • Recommendations of Regional Scrutiny on Migrant Workers.

13. MIGRATION IMPACTS FUND • Announced in Green Paper Feb. 2008. • Launched by G.Os March 2009. • Closing date for bids 9th May 2009. • £3m for each of 2009/10 and 2010/11?? • Funded through migrant fees. • “to contribute towards the transitional impact of migration on public services in local areas.”

14. MESSAGES FOR GLOUCESTER? • Know the issues. • Work to the facts. • Share and learn. • Partnership working. • Spot the trends.