THE Cotswolds will welcome five families who have been caught up in the Syrian refugee crisis.

It was decided at the Cotswold District Council cabinet meeting today that the families will be allowed to set up home in the Cirencester and/or the Moreton-in-Marsh areas.

The proposal was made in order to help the government meet its commitment of accepting 20,000 refugees by the end of the current Parliament.

CDC cabinet member for Health Environment and Communities Sue Coakley is looking forward to welcoming refugee families to the District.

She said: “I am very pleased that we are responding positively to what is a major international crisis, as I think it is morally right that we should. We have undertaken a lot of preparatory work and believe that we can rehome five refugee families over a phased period. This offer is subject to receiving full government support and funding.”

The Council’s preferred option is to provide privately-rented long-term self-contained accommodation. The housing team is in the process of sourcing suitable options, ensuring that they would be adequately furnished and that families would be provided with essentials such as bedding, towels and crockery.

The team is also putting together a package of support to ensure a smooth transition and on-going support from the council.

The government has said that it will provide a grant to the council to cover the cost of supporting refugees during their first year in the district.

At the meeting, council leader Lynden Stowe pointed out that the estimated cost to the Council of supporting refugees in their first year in the district was £8,520 per person.

He said that the council should seek confirmation that the government will reimburse the money that CDC will spend on the scheme.

He said: “If we are looking at families of four, at around £8,500 per person a year, the total cost of supporting five families each year will be in the region of £170,000.

“We need to make sure that these costs will be fully funded by the government.”