Decision details

As a background to this decision, Cheltenham Borough Council (CBC) unanimously supported a resolution on the 25th March 2019, to recognise the work done by CWR and for Cheltenham to adopt the title of ‘Town of Sanctuary.’

In doing so, CBC wished to take all practical steps to welcome and include refugees and to support them wherever it can. It also pledged to deepen its work with CWR and relevant partners, to build new links between them, CBC's partners and other local organisations to support and provide inclusive and accessible activities.

A further motion was agreed on 19th June 2023, to enhance Cheltenham's strong record of welcoming, supporting and helping both refugees and asylum seekers. This included working with CWR to support new initiatives to help and support refugees and asylum seekers in our community

The purpose of these grants will be in line with CBC’s motion to recognise and provide a strong message of CBC’s strategic support. In particular, these grants will enable a range of organisations to provide practical support for households living in the government’s Contingency or Dispersed Accommodation in Cheltenham.

The proposed activities are underpinned by these organisations and their extensive experience of supporting people seeking sanctuary and this funding will help them meet core needs with the ability to be flexible. These organisations recognise that the specific requirements of newly arrived individuals are often difficult to predict and they may need extensive support. This funding will therefore provide structured provision of prescribed support along with back-filling gaps in other services and having capacity to respond to emerging and urgent challenges on the ground.

The funding will enable these organisations to undertake a range of practical activities, which will be set out in our grant agreements. This funding must be spent during this financial year, and any underspend will need to be returned to CBC.

Please refer to Appendix 1 for a full breakdown of the funding allocation for 2025-26. For completeness, the table also includes all previous decisions taken this financial year.

Expenditure Summary of details:
The forecasted total expenditure during the financial year 2025-26 will be £130,776.33. Any remaining grant funding received from the Home Office (currently c.£45,000 for 2025-26, with a further c.£30,000 anticipated for Quarter 4 2025-26) will be used to support the ongoing delivery of Asylum Seeker Support Services which CBC has jointly commissioned with Gloucester City Council for GARAS to deliver on our behalf until at least 31st March 2028. (Please see Appendix 1 for more details and a link to the relevant Cabinet Member decision.)

None considered. This is a unique opportunity to provide one-off grant funding to a range of organisations in response to CBC’s Motion B, 19th June 2023 and will conclude at the end of March 2026.

The spending plan for this funding has been co-produced with each organisation (please refer to Appendix 1 of this report) and meets the aims of Cheltenham being a Town of Sanctuary, Motion B and CBC’s Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy.

The funding will also be in line with the spending criteria of the LA Asylum Dispersal Grant Funding 2025-26.