One in four councils have not accepted refugee children from the Calais 'Jungle'

'Those arriving from the Calais camp will require care and support packages directly from councils and their partners,' says Councillor David Simmonds of the Local Government Association

A man runs with a British flag during the mass evacuation of the Calais 'Jungle' (AP)

One in four local councils have refused to accept refugee children evacuated from the 'Jungle' migrant camp in Calais since its demolition.

Prime Minister Theresa May's own local council, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, is one of more than 38 local authorities that have not yet taken part in the government's voluntary National Transfer Scheme for minors.

The scheme was introduced to help ease the burden on "gateway communities" such as Dover where the unaccompanied refugee children are currently arriving.

A spokesperson for Windsor and Maidenhead stated the council was already taking four children as part of the resettlement programme and has promised to house another eight Syrian refugee families.

Leicestershire County Council undertook a report earlier this month that found that as many as 76 - and at least 38 - of the 152 councils are not taking part in the National Transfer Scheme.

Leicestershire itself is not engaging in the scheme as it could cost the authority up to £2.05 million - even with the extra funding made available to local government by the Home Office to cope with the situation.

A spokesman for the council said: "[We are] currently caring for around 54 unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people who have arrived in the county, including seven under the national scheme.

"We have set up a specialist social work team to look after asylum-seeking young people and started a campaign to recruit specialist foster carers.

"Reluctantly, the council has decided to pause its involvement in the national scheme until the Government can resolve the serious funding and practical issues involved."

Councillor David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association's Asylum, Refugee and Migration Task Group, said British councils have a "strong track record" of supporting unaccompanied children.

Mr Simmons said: "Those arriving from the Calais camp will require care and support packages directly from councils and their partners.

"For those children relocated with existing family living in the UK, councils will still want to be assured that arrangements put in place can meet the child's needs and that they are safe and well."