BRADFORD will house more Syrian refugees in weeks if Government funding is agreed, Council leader David Green pledged last night.

It was revealed yesterday the city has already re-homed half of the Syrian refugees who have come to the UK since March last year under a humanitarian protection which includes giving them the right to work, receive welfare benefits, health care and education.

So far 52 adults and 54 children from United Nations-run refugee camps in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan have settled in the city under the Government's Syrian Vulnerable Persons' Resettlement Scheme.

In the week that David Cameron promised Britain will accept up to 20,000 refugees from Syria over the next five years, Cllr Green has confirmed talks are continuing about how many of those will be coming to the city hoping for a fresh start.

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He said so far he has had only positive feedback about Bradford welcoming more of the refugees but understood it could provoke criticism from others about whether the city's infrastructure can cope.

Cllr Green, who also leads the Labour group, said: "I can understand those concerns which is why we are not making any commitment on numbers until we have had discussions with the Government about resources they will make available, the two have to marry up.

"My impression is the Government wants to start this in a matter of weeks.

He added: "My feeling is we can accommodate more if there is goodwill from the Government, the Council and our partners and can find a way that is not detrimental to the people of Bradford.

"We have been very careful so far to try to allocate families in districts where there is less pressure on education places to make sure we don't overload the system.

"There's also clearly going to be a number of people with physical and mental needs which is why we are meeting later this week with our health partners to identify what we have learned from those we have already helped and put together a proper ask for funding.

"We need to make sure the offer is right - not just for the people of Bradford but also for those people who are coming from horrors that none of us could ever imagine."

The 106 refugees who are already in Bradford are being supported by Little Horton-based Horton Housing Association which was the first organisation in the country to sign up to the Vulnerable Person's Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) when it was announced in March last year.

Horton Housing's chief executive officer Paul Gartland said those already here have settled in well and his organisation whole-heartedly supported the Government's promise to help more.

“We have seen success," he said.

The support Horton Housing offers is for one year and includes providing suitable accommodation, access to education and health services, support with language skills, cultural orientation and other housing-related support as well as training to become financially self-sufficient - private landlords are the main housing source rather than social providers.

Will Sutcliffe, chairman of Bradford City of Sanctuary, said he hoped other cities would follow Bradford's example.

"It's time other cities stood up and responded as well. Where are they?"

It is understood by the Telegraph & Argus that Bradford is home to about 600 asylum seekers waiting to hear their fate.

Liberal Democrat group leader Jeanette Sunderland said: "Bradford has a good track record of managing vulnerable people really well and I would not be frightened of us taking more but the Government has to recognise we need enough funds to do it properly at a time when the public purse is being reduced.

"These people are really damaged, they are not coming here for a holiday.They have high levels of need."

Conservative group leader Simon Cooke said: "If the country as a whole is going to take refugees then it's right Bradford is a part of it.

"We as a Council made the political gesture to sign up as a City of Sanctuary and that commitment has now become real.

"David Green is right not to commit to numbers yet until more is known about funding because we don't know the scale of those refugees' needs yet. Some will cost more to help than others, a child will cost more to look after than an adult."

Chancellor George Osborne has said money from the UK's £12bn international aid budget will be used to help local authorities house Syrian refugees.