Kingston Council's leader has pledged to support refugees from Afghanistan, following the tragic events of the last week as the country fell into the hands of the Taliban.

In a statement last week, Lib Dem Councillor Caroline Kerr noted the authority's strong track record on welcoming refugees.

But she called on the government to make sure enough funding is given to ensure this.

She said: "In Kingston, we are committed to playing our part in providing a safe and welcoming place for vulnerable people coming to the UK.

"We are very proud of our diverse, multicultural community and place great value on the richness people from all over the world bring to life in our borough.

"We are also proud to have been among the first councils to commit to the resettlement scheme for refugees from Syria, in 2015, and to have supported many other refugee families to settle happily in our borough.

"Like many other local authorities, Kingston stands ready to provide sanctuary for those fleeing the terrifying events taking place in Afghanistan, but the Government must ensure we are properly resourced to provide the safe haven and specialist support that these people need and deserve.

"As we have watched the traumatic events unfold over the past week, our thoughts have been with all those affected - particularly women and girls, the LGBT+ community, civil rights activists and all others fearful of what the future may hold.

"We work in close partnership with local organisations, including the NHS, to support the health and wellbeing of refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants, and enable them to fully participate as valuable members of the Kingston community.

"However, resettlement of refugees, with the appropriate support needed to ensure they can live healthy and fulfilling lives, is a complex process that requires leadership and coordination at national level, as well appropriate funding.

"We are in discussions with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government about how we can support the emerging scheme for refugees from the country, and call on the Government to ensure councils are properly funded to undertake this vital work."

Read the full news article on the Council website.

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