The Leader of Cornwall Council says she is "delighted" about the number of people who have offered to provide accommodation for Ukrainian refugees.

Linda Taylor said that the news that Cornwall had the highest number of people offering to help in the country was a sign of the "warmth and welcoming nature of Cornwall".

Conservative leader Cllr Taylor also said that the council was working with partner agencies to ensure sufficient support is in place to welcome refugees from Ukraine. After a registration scheme was opened for people to offer their homes for refugees more than 2,000 people came forward from Cornwall.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an estimated 3million people have fled their homes and countries have been offering their support. Weekly meetings are taking place to ensure that everything is ready for when refugees arrive in Cornwall.

Addressing a meeting of the council's Cabinet Cllr Taylor said: "I would like to express my delight at the news that more people from Cornwall have stepped forward to offer a home to Ukrainian refugees compared to any other local authority in the country. The warmth and welcoming nature of Cornwall is well known, and this is further evidence of that.

"To ensure we can give the support that our residents will rightly expect, we are now meeting with partners from the health and education sectors, as well as charitable organisations, on a weekly basis to ensure we are coordinated in our response.

"We are concentrating on the immediate needs of how to keep people safe as they are matched with residents, and when they arrive in Cornwall. My thoughts remain with those civilians whose lives have been turned upside down by the war, and I am determined that we as an authority will do all we can to support our residents in their desire to help."

The council is working with partners in the health and education sectors as well as the charitable sector to prepare for the arrival of Ukrainian refugees.

Cllr Taylor said: "More detail is now emerging on the Government's schemes, and I am so proud that Cornwall is at the forefront of this outpouring of support for those affected by this horrendous war.

"We are concentrating on the immediate needs of how to keep people safe as they are matched with residents, and when they arrive in Cornwall. It is of course a very fluid situation, and we will continue to meet at least once a week to ensure we do all we can to help."

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