Ukranians in rural Dorset seek to relocate to cities

A number of refugees have returned home despite the ongoing conflict

Ukranians living with host families in rural Dorset have been seeking to relocate as they struggle with poor public transport.

Councillors have been told many refugees have asked to move to urban areas so they can find work, go to school or attend appointments.

Dorset Council's People and Health Scrutiny committee was told about half of the county's 500 Ukranian refugees had now moved to independent housing.

A quarter have also returned home.

Numerous bus services in Dorset's rural areas have been cut in recent years.

Dorset Council's corporate director for commissioning and partnerships, Claire Shiel, said: "As people have settled here, a lot want to find work and get around.

"Transport has become a bit of an issue so people have been asking, and wanting, to move to more urban areas and some of our market towns."

Councillor Robin Cook said refugees in his ward of Stour and Allen Vale were asking to be moved, not because of any problem with the host family, but because of the remoteness of the area.

"They just didn't have any access to infrastructure, or facilities," he said.

Children's services director Theresa Leavy said the council had struggled to meet some of the costs and social work staffing associated with 67 unaccompanied child refugees from Ukraine and other countries in its care.

But children's services councillor Byron Quayle said: "There are cost pressures but that is being managed well.

"We have a moral obligation and a legal obligation and there is every intention that we will continue to do that."