The Birmingham Conservative Group said the council ‘should focus on housing Brum residents’
Birmingham Council leader John Cotton/Conservative group leader Robert Alden(Image: Jacob King/PA Wire/Alexander Brock)
Birmingham Council’s leader has said there’s a “moral duty” to accept more Afghan refugees despite an opposition party saying the focus should be on housing city residents.
Earlier today, June 24, during a meeting at the council house, cabinet members agreed to accept another 120-plus Afghan refugees amid the “perilous conditions” under Taliban rule.
The Labour-run local authority said it was willing to accommodate 124 people in total during 2025/26 as part of the government’s Afghan Relocation Programme (ARP).
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According to a council report, eligible individuals face particular hardship as they either furthered British interest in Afghanistan in their professional roles or have a documented record of standing up for European values.
But Councillor Robert Alden, leader of the council’s Conservative group, argued that welcoming more refugees could place a “strain” on the city’s housing situation.
“It’s easy to sit and do the things that make you feel warm inside and get you lots of praise,” he told the cabinet meeting. “But there is a need to actually look a bit harder.
“The city has changed since 2021 [the year the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan] – the council is now bankrupt.
“There are tens of thousands of people on the council’s waiting list for housing, there are thousands of families in temporary accommodation, people who are already here who cannot get housed properly.”
Conservative councillor Robert Alden speaks during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting on June 24(Image: Alexander Brock)
“This [Afghan refugee] report doesn’t really reflect the fact that actually that will be placing a further strain on those issues in the city,” Coun Alden added.
The Birmingham Conservative Group later posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the council “should focus on housing Birmingham residents”.
Responding to concerns over housing, a council officer said the tariff received from the government supports the local authority’s ability to help individuals move into the private rented sector.
She added that the council works with the resettled families so they can build their skills, find meaningful employment, afford to pay their rent and manage their lives in the UK.
“There is a considerable amount of work that happens around supporting both their tenancies and their future integration and housing,” she said.
‘It isn’t about feeling warm and fuzzy’
Coun John Cotton, leader of the council, then defended the council’s plans to accept Afghan refugees during the meeting.
“I think it’s very clear we have a moral duty to participate,” he said. “It isn’t about feeling warm and fuzzy.
“It’s about playing our role as a global city and participating in a scheme that’s in collaboration with government.”
“We welcomed people to this city for many generations,” he added.
The council said in the report that it had successfully supported the successful integration of 148 Afghan families in the past with “little impact” on public services or finances.
Birmingham Council leader John Cotton during the budget meeting in 2024(Image: Nick Wilkinson/Birmingham Live)
It also said relatively low rates of hate crimes had been reported by resettled families in the city.
“As with previous and current resettlement, efforts are made to reduce the risk of community safety issues when accommodation is sourced,” the report said.
“Most families enjoy good relationships with their neighbours.
“There are often stories of food being shared at Eid and people having support from neighbours with urgent issues.”
The council added it was unlikely that “significant additional risks” to local tensions would arise but would be closely monitored.
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The council’s cabinet ultimately approved the acceptance of ARP funding over the course of the next three years to support the 124 refugees during 2025/2026, as well as the continuation of the programme beyond then.
They also approved the continued use of private sector housing and Local Authority Housing Fund properties to meet the housing needs of families arriving under the ARP.
The council said this would help manage the risks associated with additional pressures on housing/homelessness services.