A NEW deal could give council officials more control over where asylum seekers and refugees are housed in Kirklees.

The officials spelled out their hopes as a five-year arrangement with the Home Office comes to an end next year.

"Negotiating a new contract will give the council more control over where the accommodation is," a council spokeswoman said.

"It will ensure that private providers will have to communicate with the council and provide the level of service required by Kirklees."

About 1,000 asylum seekers and refugees are living in Kirklees.

Leading councillors are due to meet next week to discuss the terms for a new contract.

The spokeswoman added asylum seekers and refugees would continue to be settled here, even if the council did not renew the contract.

"But the council will not be able to influence or monitor the situation," she said. "Resettlement has brought benefits to the area, with hard-to-let properties being brought back into use and some council housing areas being revitalised and stabilised.

"There have also been benefits to the local economy, with an influx of skills and labour, particularly in the building industry."

None of it has cost council taxpayers a penny, she added.

The spokeswoman said: "The contractual arrangements mean the Kirklees Asylum Support Service does not use council resources to run itself.

"The council has received payment larger than the cost of providing the service.

"This allows the council to pay for co-ordination and to grant cash to a voluntary support agency."

The current contract was likely to generate a cash surplus by the end of its term.