UP TO five Syrian families could be settled in Oxfordshire by Christmas, but councils are no closer to finding out how.

It was two months ago that Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the country would provide sanctuary to 20,000 refugees escaping the civil war.

Oxford City Council has been told it will take in two or three family groups by December, and West Oxfordshire District Council will take two ahead of the festive period.

But Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said: “We don’t have any certainty on timing, or details about their needs. We are working to the Home Office scheme and they are now identifying people who have been approved in the camps. It has been really slow. It was September when the initial decision took place.”

Councils have so far had no guidance on funding, accommodation or the new arrivals’ needs, and the Home Office would not supply any details to the Oxford Mail.

Yesterday the first Syrian refugee families since the Prime Minister’s pledge arrived by plane to Glasgow for rehoming.

Mr Price said that the terrorist attacks in Paris would not change the council’s intentions to house refugees from Syria.

On Friday the French capital was rocked after a series of attacks in several venues, now attributed to terrorist group Islamic State, left 129 dead and more than 350 injured.

He said: “The refugees that are coming through the UN programme are people who have spent time in camps, who have been affected themselves by the disturbances from within Syria.

“They have been carefully vetted before coming to the UK. I don’t think this changes things at all.”

Elsewhere West Oxfordshire is set to rehome six Syrian families over the next year: two by Christmas, another two by March and a further pair by June.

Cherwell District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and South Oxfordshire District Council are all still waiting for guidance from central government.

Minister for Syrian Refugees Richard Harrington said: “We are grateful to those councils who have come forward to offer accommodation, help and support to give vulnerable people the chance to rebuild their lives.

“Councils are playing a vital role in this process and we will continue to work closely with local government associations, NGOs and partner organisations to resettle people who are in desperate need of our help.”