SOUTHEND Council has agreed to take in up to 30 more Syrian refugees after the overwhelming success of a project which saw two families given refuge from their war-torn country.

The cabinet rubber stamped plans to accept families with the support of volunteers in the Southend community who have been instrumental in making the scheme a success.

Speaking at the meeting yesterday, Lesley Salter, councillor responsible for healthy communities and wellbeing, said: “This I’m very keen to see.

“It started with David Cameron guaranteeing that Britain should take in about 20,000 refugees.

“We all saw the dreadful pictures involving that area.

“The buildings collapsing and the dreadful situation the people there were in and as part of that we decided to take in up to ten people, two families - one family of three and one family of six.

“All I can say is how its worked for those two families and for our community has been quite extraordinary.

“The community involvement has been wonderful.

“The church groups have sourced accommodation so that’s not council stock. We’ve had more than 500 volunteer hours, ordinary people in the community.”

Taking in an extra 30 refugees would open up more funding which could be pooled to support all refugees.

They would be given housing and access to education, healthcare and other services.

The cost for the refugees would be £255,600 for the first year, and £360,000 in total for the next five years.

While extra people would use extra Government funding, Mrs Salter said it could be done comparatively cost-effectively because of the current scheme.

She said: “Things like English classes, if you have class of two families now if you have five families that could be better done and not cost us any more money.

“I’m very much in favour on humanitarian grounds, on community grounds, on being able to work with volunteer groups and church groups, I’d be very keen to extend this.”

Council documents also include a projection for taking in 50 more refugees, with projected costs of a total of £426,000 for the first three years.