Councillor Chris Bartrum made an emotional appeal at the full meeting of Ross-on-Wye Town Council on Monday night (March 13th) for his fellow Councillors to present a united front and encourage the local MP, Jesse Norman, to campaign for the UK government to take in more Syrian refugees.

The Town Council had been sent a letter from two local residents, and in it, they asked the council to show support to the Dubs Scheme; a scheme for unaccompanied child refugees who are seeking a safe route to sanctuary in the UK.

Cllr Bartrum told the Council that he wants to support the letter. He said that he did not want to make the matter into a party political one, and he hoped the Town Councillors could work together to lobby the MP to appeal to take in more unaccompanied Syrian children.

He said that it is widely reported in the national media that Syria is being destroyed, and millions of people have been displaced. Cllr Bartrum added that the neighbouring Arab countries, such as Jordan, have already taken in millions of refugees.

Cllr Bartrum became emotional when he told the meeting that he has children and grandchildren, and the unaccompanied orphan children, who may be the same age to his own grandchildren, may have witnessed their parents death.

He asked that the Council do their part to urge the UK government to help further.

Councillor Jenny Hyde, who is also the Herefordshire Council Cabinet support member for young people and children’s wellbeing, told Ross Town Council: “I can assure everyone here is committed and doing their best to settle unaccompanied children into Hereford.”

She added that Herefordshire Council have purchased communal houses for some of the unaccompanied children to live in, and some refugees have already been settled in the County, and 20 more are expected to arrive this month.

Cllr Hyde added that Herefordshire Council have also been settling some refugees with foster parents if it is proven that the children are under 16 years of age.

She said: “Herefordshire is doing its best to be responsible, taking care of families from Syria and settling them in. Herefordshire is meeting its promises.”

The Mayor of Ross, Councillor David Ravenscroft said that he did not think Cllr Bartrum was saying Herefordshire Council were not doing their part to settle refugees.

Cllr Caroline Utting thanked Cllr Hyde and Herefordshire Council for doing their part to settle refugees in to Herefordshire, but she said the Town Council needed to put pressure further up in government to help Syrian children further.

The Town Council voted unanimously to contact the local MP, and ask him to lobby the government to take in more unaccompanied Syrian refugees.