The government will be called on to confirm long-term financial help before Medway council commits to homing refugees from Syria.

In a motion due to go before Medway’s full council on Thursday, Cllr Rupert Turpin (Con), portfolio holder for business management, says the council’s offer of a sanctuary for the refugees has to be conditional on financial support from central government.

The call comes as Ashford, has agreed to open its doors to 250 refugees.

The demand for clarification from Medway is couched in compassionate terms, beginning: “Medway Council is sympathetic to the plight of refugees fleeing war-torn Syria.

“Many members have received letters from constituents regarding the refugee crisis and are touched by their generosity.”

But it moves swiftly on to balance that sympathy with the cost of housing 20,000 refugees over the next five years.

It states “the council prides itself on the high level of services it offers all residents” and that “it is understood that the Department of International Development will be paying
local government for increased costs”.

Cllr Turpin questions regulations around Department for International Development funding, which cannot always be used for domestic expenditure.

He adds: “This council is of the view that we cannot jeopardise the vital services currently being delivered to residents.

Therefore, if the funding cannot come from DfID, the Treasury must arrange the alternative.”

The motion suggests chief executive Neil Davies writes to the Secretary of State Justice Greening MP asking the government to consider the implications of homing refugees in Medway and ensure full financial consideration is made for subsequent years, as much as the first.

It also coincides with calls from Labour leader Vince Maple for the council to confirm its stance on the crisis.

Cllr Maple says he wrote to the council at the start of September, seeking its position and looking to offer cross party support for a positive stance.

And in a question set to be submitted on Thursday, he points out that action groups have been set up within the community but that the council has still not confirmed its stance – and asks that it do so.

Speaking to the Messenger about Cllr Turpin’s proposed motion, Cllr Maple said: “I’m not sure this is as full a response as we want at this stage.

“Other councils have given a clear indication of where they are, but there’s no indication of whether Medway would take one family or 20 families.

“Nationally, we have been very clear that we don’t think David Cameron has gone far enough. His use of language – referring to swarms – has been particularly unhelpful.”