BRENTWOOD will be housing a refugee family in the New Year, the leader of Brentwood Council has announced.

Louise McKinlay expects the family will arrive in the town in January.

Speaking to the Weekly News, Ms McKinlay said: “I made a statement at the last full council to say we would do our part to help.

“We have been working with Essex County Council and the Home Office to firm up funding and the practical side of things, and we are initially going to be looking at housing one family.

“We want to make sure we’re getting it right and are starting to look at housing options. We don’t have anything in our own housing stock, so it will be in the private sector.”

The council leader, who will meet community groups and local charities in the coming weeks, added she hoped the community would rally round to offer its support to the family.

She said: “We will be meeting with different groups and organisations in the community about some of the support we would like to provide. It’s not something we alone can do.”