Campaigners have pleaded for 200 vulnerable refugees to be homed in Wycombe, as leading Tory decision-makers are slammed for being “uncaring”.

A petition signed by more than 550 people has now been submitted to Wycombe District Council, and Wycombe Labour has called for quick action on the humanitarian crisis.

Volunteers hope to give support to either 200 people of 50 families in the coming months, but council leader Katrina Wood says more needs to be discussed about the needs of refugees and Wycombe’s residents before a decision is made.

Representing the ‘High Wycombe – Donations for Refugees’ group, Dr Stephanie Rybak said there needed to be a show of kindness and compassion.

She said: “In the life of any community there are defining moments, times when history holds up a mirror, challenging us to reveal by our actions who we really are.

“For our generation the mirror is here now in the faces of refugees, dying because they have nowhere to go. This is not a party political matter but a question of humanity.

“What reflection of ourselves do we want to see in the mirror of history?”

After submitting a petition – which will be validated and discussed in a future meeting – Wycombe Labour called a motion to debate the need to invite refugees to the area.

Last month, the government agreed to take on 20,000 refugees before 2020.

Labour councillor for Disraeli, Khalil Ahmed, said: “You have heard what Dr Rybak and her volunteers want – they want this council to show these British values too and invite 50 Syrian refugee families to come to Wycombe – not by 2020, but now.

Bucks Free Press:

Cllr Khalil Ahmed.

“I am proposing much the same in asking that this council takes a minimum of 200 refugees in the first batch of 10,000 in the next few months.

“Wycombe churches have offered their help in taking in Syrian refugees. They want to foster a place of welcome, hospitality and compassion.

“I know that Wycombe Muslims, Jews and Sikhs also want this council to invite Syrian refugees to come to Wycombe and they too have offered help.”

He added: “The response from the leader of the council is not good enough. She acknowledges that there is a humanitarian crisis and Wycombe should seek to play its part.

“But, finishes by saying that ‘As yet the role of local government will need to play and the role Wycombe District Council specifically will play is not defined so we are not yet in a position to commit to numbers’.

“200 refugees or 50 families is a modest response. Surely we can help just a few of the millions in such dire need?”

Bucks Free Press:

Cllr Katrina Wood.

Cllr Wood said: “I care very deeply, I care very deeply about our residents as well as the refugees.

“And, because I care so deeply, in order to achieve the goal we must work very closely with Buckinghamshire County Council as the majority of responsibility for supporting refugees locally would fall on their services, not ours.

“In this early stage of our joint efforts to determine what can be achieved we do not feel it is right to put either a minimum or maximum cap on the number of refugee families we will take.

“It would be wrong for us to do nothing, but equally immoral to offer shelter to people who we could not adequately provide for.”

The motion will now be discussed at a WDC cabinet meeting in November.

Do you think Wycombe should help home up to 200 vulnerable refugees? Have your say by commenting below or email your views to bfpletters@london.newsquest.co.uk