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Somerset to spend £1m on flood prevention Somerset to spend £1m on flood prevention
(35 minutes later)
Somerset county council is planning to spend £1m on dredging rivers and flood-prevention schemes and has launched a social media campaign to try to get more help from central government as parts of the south-west of England remain underwater almost four weeks after the torrential rains began. Somerset county council is planning to spend £1m on dredging rivers and flood-prevention schemes and has launched a social media campaign to try to get more help from central government as parts of south-west England remain underwater almost four weeks after the torrential rains began.
The authority had already pledged £500,000 but as householders and business owners continued to bail out and mop up, it announced that it was doubling its spend on dredging rivers and putting in place flood-prevention measures. The authority had already pledged £500,000 but as householders and business owners continued to bail out and mop up, it announced it was doubling its spend on dredging rivers and putting in place flood-prevention measures.
Twenty-one flood warnings remain in place for England and Wales, almost a fifth of them on and around the Somerset Levels, one of the centres for this winter's flooding crisis. Yet more heavy rain is expected over the next week and the Environment Agency (EA) says there continues to be a risk of more flooding in southern England.Twenty-one flood warnings remain in place for England and Wales, almost a fifth of them on and around the Somerset Levels, one of the centres for this winter's flooding crisis. Yet more heavy rain is expected over the next week and the Environment Agency (EA) says there continues to be a risk of more flooding in southern England.
As well as announcing the extra money it intends to find, Conservative-led Somerset county council called for central government and the EA to "dig into their own pockets" and find an extra £3m needed to dredge the Parrett and Tone rivers.As well as announcing the extra money it intends to find, Conservative-led Somerset county council called for central government and the EA to "dig into their own pockets" and find an extra £3m needed to dredge the Parrett and Tone rivers.
The council leader, John Osman, said: "This extra funding, at a time of extremely challenging finances for the council, is a clear indication of how determined we are to stand up for residents and small businesses who have been devastated by flooding not once but twice in just over a year."The council leader, John Osman, said: "This extra funding, at a time of extremely challenging finances for the council, is a clear indication of how determined we are to stand up for residents and small businesses who have been devastated by flooding not once but twice in just over a year."
The authority is keen to stress that the county is not yet back to normal.The authority is keen to stress that the county is not yet back to normal.
Osman said: "At the moment we have a community at Muchelney completely cut off, we have a main road impassable through the middle of the county, we have a damaged road bridge, we have thousands of acres of farmland under water – all this means we have many, many people and businesses whose lives are being ruined. We must get the government to act and to act quickly."Osman said: "At the moment we have a community at Muchelney completely cut off, we have a main road impassable through the middle of the county, we have a damaged road bridge, we have thousands of acres of farmland under water – all this means we have many, many people and businesses whose lives are being ruined. We must get the government to act and to act quickly."
The county council has held a "crisis meeting" with the minister for water and rural affairs, Dan Rogerson, and has also launched a social media campaign to garner support. It has asked people to register their backing by "liking" a Facebook page it has set up called Fairer Funding for Somerset or comment on Twitter using the hashtag #fairerfundingforsomerset.The county council has held a "crisis meeting" with the minister for water and rural affairs, Dan Rogerson, and has also launched a social media campaign to garner support. It has asked people to register their backing by "liking" a Facebook page it has set up called Fairer Funding for Somerset or comment on Twitter using the hashtag #fairerfundingforsomerset.
The Met Office has little good news for Somerset and other flood-hit areas. It is warning of blustery showers in the south and west (with hail and thunder) in some areas for Thursday and Friday. More heavy showers may hit the UK over the weekend and by the middle of next week parts of the country could be battered by gales again.The Met Office has little good news for Somerset and other flood-hit areas. It is warning of blustery showers in the south and west (with hail and thunder) in some areas for Thursday and Friday. More heavy showers may hit the UK over the weekend and by the middle of next week parts of the country could be battered by gales again.
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