Dorset Council is to receive more than £ 2 million to deal with the 500 migrants due to be housed on a barge at Portland. 

At a briefing tonight, the council said a funding package has now been agreed with the Home Office. 

The council said the funding that has been agreed includes £3,500 per occupied bed space - something it claims will allow it to fulfil its duties.

In addition, the council will receive a one-off payment of £377,000 to provide asylum seekers with activities, volunteering opportunities and English-speaking lessons. This will be delivered through local voluntary and community organisations.

Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Culture and Communities, said: Over recent weeks, Dorset Council has been negotiating with the Home Office to secure an appropriate funding package for our work on the Portland barge scheme. It is essential that we can continue to meet residents’ needs while also providing new services for asylum seekers, without any additional pressure on local taxpayers.

Dorset Council said it has been negotiating with the Home Office over recent weeks to secure an appropriate funding package for the Portland barge scheme.

Cllr Beddow said: "It is essential that we can continue to meet residents’ needs while also providing new services for asylum seekers, without any additional pressure on local taxpayers.

"We have been working very closely with our partners, including Dorset Police and NHS Dorset, as well as with the Home Office and Portland Port to ensure robust arrangements are in place.

"This includes additional community safety officers in Portland and Weymouth, extending the operational hours of the CCTV in the area, providing safeguarding training for barge staff, and working in partnership with local voluntary and community organisations."

NHS Dorset confirmed they have received funding from the Home Office which they believe will cover the cost of healthcare for the asylum seekers.

NHS Dorset Chief Executive Dr Paul Johnson said they had secured extra funding from the Home Office.

He said: "The money we have got is based around the average cost of care for an adult male based on previous experience, multiplied by the number of residents to the barge."

He did not confirm what the number was and refused to confirm whether the funding that had been asked for had been met by the Home Office.

Dorset Police are still in discussions with the Home Office over funding. 

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick has been clear that he does not want any of the extra funding needed to come from the existing Dorset Police budget.

Richard Bell, Chief Superintendent and Commander for Dorset Police, said: "Additional funding has been secured from the Home Office, the details of that are being finalised by the Home Office and the Police and Crime Commissioner on the final amount.

The decision to site a floating barge in Portland Port for 500 asylum seekers was made by the Home Office and facilitated through a commercial arrangement with Portland Port.

"Dorset Council was not consulted and had no decision-making powers over this arrangement," Cllr Beddow added. "From the outset, Dorset councillors have been clear about their concerns and opposition to the location of this scheme.

"The council explored options to pursue legal action to challenge the Home Office’s decision. Following specialist legal advice and the experience of other councils across the country, Dorset Council made the decision not to take legal action as it was unlikely to be successful and would incur high costs to local taxpayers.

"The council, as a statutory organisation, has legal duties to fulfil to everyone who is resident in the area. This includes the asylum seekers who will be housed on the barge. We believe it is in everyone’s best interest for us to play our role in minimising any impact on local services and ensuring arrangements run as smoothly as possible."