Becoming a Council of Sanctuary
Why does Worcester City Council want to be a Council of Sanctuary?
City councillors expressed a desire for Worcester City Council to become a recognised Council of Sanctuary in late 2023.
This is about building on work that is already happening across the city and making sure that a positive welcome, inclusion and community connection are considered in the way the City Council works.
What is a Council of Sanctuary?
A Council of Sanctuary is a local authority that has made a public commitment to being welcoming and inclusive towards all people including those seeking sanctuary. The Council of Sanctuary programme is part of the national City of Sanctuary UK movement.
For a council, this is primarily about learning, embedding good practice and sharing what works. It involves working with local community organisations and other partners to make sure people seeking sanctuary can understand and access local services they are eligible for and feel part of the community.
What it means:
- A commitment to welcome and inclusion for people seeking sanctuary.
- Building on existing work rather than creating a completely new service.
- Learning about the experiences and needs of people seeking sanctuary.
- Looking at how the Council’s existing services, information and partnerships can work well for everyone.
- Working with local voluntary and community organisations and people with lived experience of seeking sanctuary in Worcester.
- Supporting community cohesion and positive relationships between people who have lived in Worcester for many years and people who are new to the city.
What it does not mean:
- It does not mean that Worcester will receive more asylum seekers or refugees because of becoming a Council of Sanctuary.
- It does not give Worcester City Council any power to decide who is housed or resettled in the city. Decisions about asylum, immigration, dispersal and resettlement are made by the UK Government.
- It does not change immigration rules or create a special immigration status.
- It does not mean that everyone seeking sanctuary is entitled to Council services or public funds that they would not otherwise be entitled to.
- It does not mean that the Council is taking responsibility for asylum or immigration decisions. Those remain matters for the UK Government.
- It is not a legal status or a power to override national legislation.
Is this a political statement?
The City of Sanctuary movement is non-partisan. Becoming a Council of Sanctuary is about how a local authority works with its communities and partners. It does not require the Council to agree with every aspect of UK Government asylum or immigration policy.
What would it look like in practice?
Worcester City Council would continue to work with local organisations and partners to identify practical ways of making Worcester a welcoming and inclusive city. This could include improving information and signposting, supporting staff understanding, strengthening partnership working and sharing positive examples of community welcome.
City of Sanctuary UK describes the approach for councils as a process of learning, embedding and sharing. The intention is to build on existing good practice and make it part of everyday Council activity.
A commitment for the whole community
Sanctuary is not only about people arriving in Worcester.
It is also about the kind of city we want Worcester to be: a place where people feel safe, included and able to contribute to their communities. The work can benefit the wider community by supporting stronger relationships, better partnership working and community cohesion.
Find out more
More information is available by clicking on the following websites: