Perth and Kinross Council is working to support 288 Ukrainian refugees to settle into the area.
Language support has been expanded in local schools and property and disclosure checks are being carried out to ensure hosting arrangements are appropriate.
An update was provided to Perth and Kinross Council’s scrutiny and performance committee on Wednesday.
To date, 148 Ukrainians have been welcomed into the area.
A further 102 have had their visas approved but are still to receive them.
A further 38 – hoping to come to Perth and Kinross – are still awaiting approval of their visa applications.
Checks to help Ukrainian refugees settle in Perthshire
A draft version of the communities annual performance report 2021/22 stated: “Like many other councils, we are supporting people from Ukraine to settle into accommodation.
“We are undertaking a range of activities such as property and disclosure checks to ensure that appropriate hosting arrangements are in place for everyone who arrives under the sponsorship schemes.”
Councillors were told “over 20 children have enrolled in our local schools and ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) provision has been expanded to provide additional capacity to meet growing demand”.
PKC is “also progressing data regarding 400 people who have expressed an interest in being a host”.
We’re having families and individuals arriving on a daily basis.”
Clare Mailer
At Wednesday’s meeting, SNP councillor Eric Drysdale asked what progress had been made with visas and how the whole process was going.
The Perth City Centre councillor added: “The sooner these people can get settled into this area, the better – in particular the children to get settled ahead of the new school term in August.”
Depute director (communities) Clare Mailer said: “We’re having families and individuals arriving on a daily basis.
“I’ve just had a conversation this morning with someone who’s expecting a family over the weekend.
“The process now is working really really well with visas, disclosure checks, accommodation checks going through very, very quickly.
“I’d have to say, we’ve had really positive feedback from community members in terms of feedback.
“There’s been a real partnership approach between the council and indeed communities and individuals accepting and hosting families and individuals from Ukraine.
“It very much has been a multi-agency partnership.”
‘Putin’s barbaric invasion’
Following the meeting, Mr Drysdale told us: “It’s certainly good to hear the council is doing all it can to help settle these refugees.
“I just hope the people awaiting visa applications being processed are not having to wait unduly long.”
A spokesperson for the UK Government said: “In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history, with more than 120,000 visas issued so people can rebuild their lives in the UK.
“The changes the Home Office has made to streamline the visa system, including simplifying the forms and boosting staff numbers, are working and we are now processing visas as quickly as they come in – enabling thousands more Ukrainians to come through our uncapped routes.”
