Crawley needs more government funding to accommodate likely influx of Chggossians

Chagossians were forced to leave their homeland when Britain bought the islands in the Indian Ocean in the 1960s, with many settling in Crawley.

With the government giving people of Chagossian descent until November 2027 to apply for British citizenship, the town is preparing for the ‘potentially very significant number’ who may join their family and friends in West Sussex.

During a meeting of the full council on Wednesday (July 19), members were told that four housing officers had been hired to help the authority cope with the coming demand for accommodation.

Leader Michael Jones (Lab, Bewbush and North Broadfield) said the New Burdens Funding promised by the government had yet to arrive, with repeated reminders and correspondence from officers going unanswered.

New Burden Funding is given to local authorities when changes to legislation will leave them at a financial disadvantage.

Mr Jones said: “If they don’t act soon, the implications for the council’s finances could be very serious.”

He added: “Due to the unprecedented levels of local demand for services, things like temporary accommodation, and without additional capacity, the risk is that the council [will be] unable to fulfil its statutory duties.

“The burden on the county council in terms of education and social services will also be significant.

“Yet we have been given no detail or assurances that the additional support is there.”