A DECISION on whether 15 families fleeing war-torn Syria can be settled in Burnley over the next three years is to be made.

Burnley Council’s executive will discuss details of its participation in a Lancashire-wide programme to house a small number of refugees from the country.

If the proposal is approved it would lead to five families moving to Burnley later this year with five more families coming to the town in both 2018 and 2019.

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An executive meeting on Wednesday will consider a report with proposals and details about Burnley’s participation in the programme. Council leader Cllr Mark Townsend said: “We have already made a commitment that the town will play its proper part in helping resettle refugees and will do so as part of a co-ordinated approach across Lancashire.

“This will be done in a systematic way, including by ensuring that all proper support arrangements are put in place with government support.”

The report proposes that Burnley resettles a number of Syrian refugee families over the next few years, in line with the average number being resettled across the county.

It also suggests continuing working together with the agency SERCO, who already have a contract with the national government, to work with asylum seekers in the North West.

The report states that ‘there will be appropriate financial and practical support from the government’ and through the county council so that cash costs resulting from the programme will be fully reimbursed through government funds.

Alongside this, there would be an increase in the number of houses being lived in by refugees, from the current number of 10 properties to a total of 20 properties this year.

Pendle has welcomed 10 refugee families from Syria. Rossendale Council has not yet been told how many refugees the area could be asked to take but has expressed an interest in taking part in the scheme in the future.