Another 60 Syrian refugees are to be given the chance to settle in North Ayrshire and start a new life in Scotland. Following a report on the success of the Syrian refugee programme, which so far has assisted 19 Syrian families – 34 parents and 59 children – the NAC cabinet agreed on Tuesday to accommodate a further 60 refugees by 2021.
Reaffirming their commitment to those fleeing persecution and war, the programme pledged to accommodate up to 100 refugees over a four-year period with the first refugees arriving in November 2015.
Having already accepted 93 people of a 100-person target in the first two years of a four-year programme, the proposal was submitted to extend the resettlement programme by a further 60. Some of the families already in North Ayrshire live on Bute, but no decision has been made if any accommodation will be found for them on Arran this time.