The bill for Bradford's asylum seekers could top £7.4 million, according to new figures released today.

Like all local authorities, Bradford must take its share of asylum seekers and expects to take in 660 in the next five years.

Repairing empty houses for them, furnishings, Council tax, rent, security and food packs are expected to total £7.4 million over that time, officials estimate.

But members of the Council's opposition Tory group said it was 'outrageous' to spend so much on housing asylum seekers when council tenants needed repairs doing.

But Councillor Jim O'Neill, executive member for housing, insisted the Council would get every penny back from the Government under a special contract.

"The Tories are playing the race card," he said.

"I can assure the people of Bradford that the Council will not be signing up to this contract unless we get all our costs back.

"The Government is under no misapprehension about how much this operation will cost, but it will cost the Treasury - not the Council tax payers of Bradford."

So far 20 asylum seekers have arrived in the city under a new scheme to disperse them around the country while they wait to see if they may stay.

Bradford has offered refuge to 20 per week until April when numbers will settle to about ten per week.

Officers must find suitable accommodation for individuals and families as well as providing interpretation services, furniture, and food/hygiene packs.

They say they expect to spend £1.5 million on preparing accommodation, furnishings and setting up a reception centre in the 2000/2001 financial year.

Rents, renewals, utilities and Council Tax will cost a further £1.9 million giving a first year cost of £3.4 million.

For the next two years, costs are expected to be £2 million per year.

"It is totally outrageous that so much is being spent on housing asylum seekers when we already have local school children taught in shanty town classrooms," said Councillor Margaret Eaton (Con, Bingley) leader of the Conservative group on Bradford Council.

"If 80 homes are being done up between now and March, that's workmen that can't be working on essential repairs for tenants."

Coun O'Neill said extra contractors were being brought in to prepare homes for the asylum seekers.

"These homes are empty at the moment - the money we will get from the Government for putting asylum seekers in them will go back into the repairs budget," he said.

"It will improve estates and communities, by bringing derelict properties back on line."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.