Statement from Councillor Anthony Alford, Leader of West Dorset District Council:
All of us will have been moved by the distressing images of human suffering in the wake of the refugee crisis.
We will have heard the announcement yesterday that the United Kingdom will welcome a large number of refugees from Syria and local government through the Local Government Association has welcomed the announcement and made the commitment that local government will do all it can to assist in the housing and care for them.
For our part West Dorset District Council will support this and will co-operate and accept our share of the refugee numbers and do what we can to support them. Many of the services that refugees will need will of course be provided by other authorities and we will commit ourselves to working in close co-operation with the county council and other agencies to ensure that this happens.
The support for refugee children and their families will need to ensure that when the crisis passes and families and individuals settle into a new life in the UK that they will continue to have the support and resources that they need.
In the short term, our officers will make the necessary plans and be in a position to give these refugees from war, a warm West Dorset welcome.
