Bath & North East Somerset Council Leader Dine Romero has called on central government to work with local councils on how to house asylum seekers left stranded after the devastating fire last week at the Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos.

She said the government should reopen its Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme - suspended during the Covid 19 outbreak - so that vulnerable refugees from the Moria camp could be supported in local communities. Bath & North East Somerset Council's support for the programme has seen 70 vulnerable people so far welcomed into our area.

Cllr Dine Romero said: "We are proud of the warm welcome we have given to the 17 families we have resettled so far under the government's Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme.

"I know we have strong, supportive and compassionate communities in Bath and North East Somerset who would offer support and sanctuary to people who need our help.

"Central government should now urgently reopen the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme and work with councils in a joint effort so we can support people in desperate need whose lives have been devastated by this fire."