ALL seven council leaders in Worcestershire have agreed to submit a joint bid to house Syrian refugees in the county - as long as the Government funds it for a "full" five years.

The council leaders met yesterday for private talks and have now formally agreed to take their proposal further by bidding to the Home Office.

A short statement was released today, although it says the measure is dependent on "the Government agreeing to fund the scheme for the full five years " and consent from other organisations which could offer support.

The wording suggests the councils do not intend to find any funding from their own budgets, and are intent on putting the onus on central Government to cough up the financial support entirely.

As your Worcester News revealed last week, after major pressure from campaigners Worcestershire County Council decided to back a move to bid to central Government to house Syrians.

It follows an announcement by David Cameron that the UK would house an additional 20,000 refugees, all from camps bordering Syria, by 2020.

The current Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme is being beefed up, with the Local Government Association holding ongoing talks with MP Richard Harrington, the newly-appointed minister for the project, to firm up funding commitments.

Yesterday's talks have been hailed as successful by the council leaders, who are expecting the Government to come good on the money.

It comes as Councillor Simon Geraghty, the leader of Worcester City Council, made his first public remarks on the Syrian plight - urging clarity over the funding.

"Providing a safe haven for some of the most vulnerable people caught up in the Syrian conflict will require a carefully co-ordinated package of support provided by a number of different organisations," he said.

"That’s why we need the right resources from Government over the next five years in order to successfully help them to integrate fully into the community.

"Discussions are taking place between various organisations to determine what resources are available locally whilst we wait for confirmation regarding the funding."

Councillor Linda Robinson, who leads Wychavon District Council, told your Worcester News it was up to the Government to now come forward.

"We all agreed in the meeting to sign up to those words, we're all on board and want to help," she said.

When asked if that meant the councils were not prepared to find any cash from their own budgets to supplement a forthcoming Government offer, she insisted it had "not been clarified" either way.

Ruth Forecast, from the Malvern branch of Amnesty International, said: "So much has been made of this funding and the council fearing they'll be left with a hefty bill, but as we keep saying, in our experience most Syrian refugees are on their own two feet by their second year."

The county council rejected a proposal for 12 Syrian families to come to Worcestershire in June due to fears over the costs, with the Home Office then only guaranteeing cash for an initial year of a five-year resettlement scheme.

No figure will be decided upon for Worcestershire's application until talks have concluded between the LGA and Government over new financing arrangements.

It comes as another Worcestershire MP voiced her backing for the talks, with West Worcestershire's Harriett Baldwin saying she is trying to steer matters towards a conclusion.

"I will continue to work with local authorities and the Home Office to see how big-hearted local people can best offer the hand of friendship to those in most need, fleeing the horrors of war," she said.