NORTH Devon District Council has accepted funding of £552,000, from the government, to provide housing for Afghan and Ukrainian refugees after councillors were told by their leader this week they would be “barmy” to refuse it.

The council, which has already received more than £1 million to provide homes to people displaced by conflict, has given officers approval to buy a new batch of properties for accommodation, throwing in 60 per cent of match funding from its savings.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ created a Local Authority Housing Fund with £500 million last December, and has now added another £250 million to the pot.

This cash will help families out of temporary and emergency accommodation and in to stable and secure homes. 

The money should also mean the value of the homes the council buys will grow, enabling it to help it manage future housing pressures.

Director of resources and deputy chief executive of the council, John Triggs, told members that benefits from the funding include reducing impact on the existing housing and homelessness systems and those waiting for social housing.

Round one funding provided nine homes in North Devon and another four will result from round two.

Liberal Democrat leader of the council Ian Roome said: “We would be barmy not to accept this funding. 

“We can never get enough money from central government so it’s a no-brainer really.

“This accommodation will be used as part of the resettlement scheme and will eventually be available for local people including those who have been made homeless.”

The funding will come in two tranches – £165,600 this month or next, and £386,400 between October and December.

Devon Council Council has allocated one-off grant funding of £215,000 to North Devon for the Homes for Ukraine scheme.