More housing for Afghan refugees and families in need in Oxford will be provided by the city council after new funding has been approved.

The city council will buy five new properties, using £1,910,000 of the Capital Budget from the Housing Revenue Account and £849,000 from a central government grant.

Three of these properties will initially be rented to families who have arrived in the UK under the government’s Afghan resettlement scheme.

These houses will become part of the council’s general housing stock after the tenancies come to an end.

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The remaining two houses will be used as temporary accommodation for families who the council have a duty to accommodate.

The cabinet proposal was made at the Oxford City Council meeting on Monday, November 25.

(Image: Jon Lewis)Councillor Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing and communities, who put forward the proposal, said at the meeting: “We are currently experiencing unprecedented demand for temporary accommodation in this city, and these two extra units will help relieve some of that pressure.”

“This funding opportunity represents a good deal for the Housing Revenue Account, a good opportunity to grow our property portfolio to meet future housing needs.

“It’s also consistent with the desire of this council to support refugee resettlement where we can.”

Councillor Saj Malik said at the meeting: “It’s too late but it’s welcome, because it has taken a very long time for the Afghan refugees to be housed.”

The city council voted unanimously in support of the proposal.

The council has supported more than 57 refugee families in Oxford since 2015.