Wanganui's district council and community groups are keeping an eye on the international refugee crisis.
The interest was a reaction to the Syrian refugee crisis and at the time the council indicated a willingness for the district to be considered as a home for refugee families.
Some councillors, council staff and community interest groups met in September to discuss ways the district could react to the crisis.
The Wanganui-Manawatu branch of Red Cross is contracted to the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to handle refugee resettlement.
The local meetings decided Wanganui and Manawatu needed to take a regional approach to any resettlement because of the number of economic and social support services that would be needed.
MBIE has criteria it would expect a town or district to meet before it could be considered as a resettlement area. These include adequate housing stock, provision of Government services and community support, which would be led by the local authority.
Deputy-Mayor Hamish McDouall, who has chaired the community meetings, told the council last week Red Cross acknowledged the Wanganui-Manawatu district as a resettlement area but other centres had also put their hands up to help.
"We may not get many [refugees]. It could be no more than four families," Mr McDouall said.
Councillor Ray Stevens said: "We need consultation with our community before we make a commitment".
Mr McDouall said council had been down this path in 2010.
"Would we look good or bad if we consulted and the community said no? Ultimately it's the ministry's decision."