Senior councillors are being asked to approve plans that will see nearly 300 refugees from Syria rehomed in Cumbria.

Recommendations have been made to Cumbria County Council’s cabinet that will see the authority take up the lead in the provision of resettlement support in the county, under the national Syrian Refugee Resettlement Programme.

Cabinet members, who meet on Thursday, are also recommended to agree to the council signing the north west regional agreement to provide support to the National Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) transfer scheme.

The council, along with its partners, had planned to take in refugees following a response from the Home Office last year. However discussions were put on hold after Storm Desmond struck many parts of the county.

A report prepared for cabinet members states that partners across Cumbria will make a collective offer to the Government to resettle 285 refugees over three years between 2017 and 2020.

It also reveals that the council “will be expected to manage and disperse appropriately” the funding for the programme, which will be provided by the Government.

However it states that the role of lead authority will not mean that the county council takes sole responsibility for the resettlement of refugees, but that it will play a “strategic coordination role as part of a much broader multi-agency approach”.

It also states that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children include those already in the UK at entry local authority areas such as Kent, who do not have refugee status.

The second group that the Government is asking local authorities to support are unaccompanied children from the camps in a number of European countries.

The report also states that no significant risks have been identified with the county council acting as lead local authority for the provision of resettlement support for refugees.

It adds: “The county council will be expected to manage and disperse appropriately the funding for this programme, in line with the scheduled intake of refugees, however the council has substantial experience of managing this type of arrangement.

“The county council and partners will need to meet the Government expectations in provision of support for Syrian refugees; however funding from the Home Office will be provided so that support can be procured or commissioned if required.

“The recommendation in the report is for the council to voluntarily play a role in the provision of resettlement support; however it should be noted Government is able to direct councils to take refugees should they feel this is necessary.”