Wycombe District Council is under pressure to accept a number of displaced Syrian refugees as soon as possible after religious and civil leaders urged it to ‘play its part’.

Eight community figures, including Rev Hugh Ellis, vicar at All Saints church, chair of Wycombe Islamic Society (WISE) Refi Shafi and former High Wycombe mayor Chauhdry Shafique, have signed a statement expressing their ‘mounting concern’ and asking the council to follow the example of the Good Samaritan and ‘act with generosity, urgently.’

Ann Phipps from High Wycombe Donations for Refugees, petitioner Stephanie Ryback, Rev Brin Dunsire, chair of Churches Together in High Wycombe and Wycombe 38 Degrees chair John Bajina have also called on WDC to act.

The statement said: “This is an exceptional crisis, requiring an exceptional response. We should never again be confronted with images like that of the drowned 3-year old toddler, Aylan Kurdi.

“We urge Wycombe District Council on behalf of our community to play its part in accepting an appropriate number of Syrian refugees in the district as soon as practically possible.

“We believe that this will require a concentrated effort from both the council and civil society in our community. This will be a challenge, but also an opportunity for our community to act together and grow spiritually, culturally and economically.

“We offer in return our public support for such a step, our openness to creative discussions about how to achieve this, and practical assistance wherever possible in welcoming and integrating Syrian refugees into our settled community.”

The statement comes after 84 Church of England bishops signed a letter to David Cameron calling for the Government to increase the number of Syrian refugees being resettled to this country from 20,000 to 50,000 over five years.

Glenn Abbott, vice chair of Wycombe 38 Degrees, who has also signed the statement, said the council could be ‘creative’ and consider using scout halls or other similar locations to house refugees.

He said: “We are not stressing the number, we just want them to do something because we think it is important. Surely we can do something to help.

“We know that there is a housing shortage in High Wycombe. We don’t want to rob Peter to pay Paul. We need to think creatively and we are open to suggestions but scout halls or centres could be used to host refugees.”

Cllr Khalil Ahmed, who placed a formal motion on the last council agenda asking WDC to accept 200 refugees, said he ‘totally supports’ the signatories statement.

He said: “I applaud the work of the High Wycombe volunteers in helping refugees from Syria and other places where their lives are in danger and I applaud their work with the council in offering practical support to help house refugees.”

Catherine Spalton, spokesman for Wycombe District Council, said they ‘wholeheartedly’ support the Government’s plan to house 20,000 of the most vulnerable refugees in the UK and will debate their response in Cabinet on November 16, giving them time to ‘fully engage with partner agencies.’

She said: “In order for us to play our part, we must work closely with the government and Buckinghamshire County Council, as the majority of the responsibility for supporting refugees locally would fall on the county council’s services.”

While there was concern that WDC would not be able to house refugees if they did not register their interest with The South East Strategic Partnership for Migration, the council has confirmed that there is ‘no requirement’ for them to do so.

“We met with representatives from the South East Strategic Partnership for Migration and the Home Office last month to discuss the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme (VPRS) and asylum seekers.”