Funding for groups to help Ukrainian refugees settling in Chichester district

The money – expected to ‘significantly exceed’ £150,000 – will be given to the district council by West Sussex County Council to spend on community support and integration of refugees (known as guests).

During a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday (June 7) members unanimously agreed that the money – £1,000 per guest – should be accepted.

They also recommended that authority for handing out the money to community groups be given to Pam Bushby, the council’s divisional manager for communities.

Roy Briscoe, cabinet member for community services & culture, told the meeting that the money was part of the government funding given to the county council to cover education, social care and other costs associated with the guests.

He added that the proposal was to allocate £100,000 to Voluntary Action Arun Chichester – who will in turn pass money on to other voluntary organisations such as Sanctuary in Chichester.

Groups will be able to bid for a share of a further £50,000 ‘to provide additional support and encourage community cohesion in areas where the guests are staying’.

Mr Briscoe told the meeting that the £150,000 would have to be provided by the district council up front and then recovered from the county council.

He added: “The council could wait for the funding to be received from the county council before allocating the funds but this could be piecemeal and delay appropriate support being available to people who have already arrived in the district and been through a significant trauma.”