HAMPSHIRE County Council has welcomed Government funding to address flooding problems across the county.
But council leader Roy Perry is disappointed at the number of projects in Hampshire being supported and delays in funding schemes that have already been approved.
Flooding caused severe damage across the county, forcing people from their homes in Romsey and closing schools and businesses temporarily in Winchester.
Cllr Perry said: “This funding will enable us to put in place some schemes to help mitigate flooding in the future, and the county council will continue to press Government on delays to funding being available.
“Where possible we will seek to use our own resources to accelerate the delivery of these important improvements on the ground, as we have done at Hambledon, where work is already underway, though the Government’s funding will not be received until 2016.”
He added: “The decisions announced by the Government today, further reinforce the case I have been making that the current national funding formulae for flood alleviation and mitigation schemes does not properly recognise the issues faced from groundwater flooding in rural communities, which often extends for weeks, and has a severe impact on all aspects of community life - including road closures and disruption to businesses, and the devastating impact on households.
Flooding in Lymington in February
“That is why the county council has been pressing for a different approach to funding and to dealing with the impact of groundwater flooding.
“I hope that we will be able to take forward this thinking with Defra and the Environment Agency over the next few months to show how simplifying the application process and adjusting the criteria can bring real additional benefits to communities who are prepared to work with us to develop local flood strategies and emergency response plans.”
And the leader called on areas affected by flooding in the past to pull together this winter and help each other through any difficult times.
The Government unveiled a six-year programme in its Infrastructure Investment Plan today.
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