A councillor told a committee debating whether to house Afghan refugees that some local people are “sick and tired” of seeing groups of single men coming into the country as “economic migrants”.

Cllr Bob Squire was speaking during Conwy county council’s economy and place scrutiny meeting on Wednesday as members unanimously agreed to house one refugee family.

It is part of a UK Government funded push to settle 3,000 Afghan employees who worked for its diplomatic and armed forces stationed in the country and whose lives are threatened by the Taliban.

Whitehall has accelerated their resettlement because of an increasing threat, meaning they now will arrive over the summer rather than over the next two years.

Cllr Squire, who said he was “happy to support” the proposal for one family to be settled in the county, warned the feelings of the rest of the population should be taken into account but said it wasn’t because of “race issues”.

He said: “These people have been through an awful lot at the fault of politicians in this country and America.

“Nonetheless we have got to be aware of the feelings of our own community.

“I will support it but I think we have got to bear in mind how other people feel.

“There are people locally, in all communities, who are sick and tired of seeing nine, 10, 11 single men coming into the country as economic migrants.

“I feel there are children involved and we should support a family with children.”

The council will receive a minimum of £1,250 per family to set up a suitable property and £15 per day for each family member to pay for rent, for up to 12 months.

The authority will also receive a minimum of £4,500 per family member to “provide integration support” plus each refugee will receive between £37.75 and £74.25 for up to four months, while their residency is established and they become eligible for state benefits.

The integration package the council would be expected to provide would consist of:

Accommodation

A package of advice and assistance covering employment, welfare benefits, housing, health, education and utility supply.

Registration with GPs and local Job Centre Plus including receipt of a National

Insurance Number

Assistance in securing school places for school aged children

Cash support

Conwy county council will need to establish a suitable property before letting the UK Government know what is available.

It is then up to officials in Whitehall to place suitable families with each council.

During the discussion, it emerged three of five Syrian families placed within the county were now looking for accommodation in other areas.

When asked if this was as a result of language issues, officer Ashleigh Stevens said two of the families wanted to move because of the type of business they wished to set up.

It emerged they wanted to set up an Halal butchers but the lack of a target customer base in Conwy meant they were looking at relocating to Cardiff or Birmingham.