BRIDGWATER and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has insisted he will ‘keep the pressure on’ the Government to come up with funding for flood prevention measures after a parliamentary debate.

The MP called on Westminster to provide answers on whether a barrage can be built in Bridgwater to increase the lasting effect of the extensive dredging that has taken place over the last 10 months.

He said: “It is critical to get a clear thumbs-up from the Government about the construction of a barrage at Bridgwater to prevent silt being washed back inland by the tides.

“The need for the barrage is accepted – but once again this involves a lot of money.

“And, here we are, fast approaching what promises to be another hard wet winter, without an answer.”

Mr Liddell Grainger blames the slow progress of the 20-year flood action plan on Brussels, saying that if the Government spent less time following the ‘flawed edicts of Brussels’ there would be ample funds to finance solutions to the flooding problems.

The Conservative MP, who is standing for re-election next year, also suggested EU regulations were the reason for the delay in flood-hit farmers receiving compensation.

He stated that of the £10million the Government has set aside for farmers, only £4million has been approved for payment and less than £1million has actually been paid out.

He continued: “During a recent visit to the area by Defra’s new Secretary of State she made it abundantly clear that much of this frustrating bureaucracy was imposed in order to satisfy EU rules.”

It was also pointed out that to properly manage anti-flooding measures in the future, a Somerset Rivers Board is needed, involving the local authorities that are affected by flooded.

However there is still a big question mark over the funding of such a body, something which Mr Liddell-Grainger insists that the Government needs to contribute to.

He said: “One essential part of the Flood Action Plan is the creation of a viable Somerset Rivers Board.

“If the councils were given a few years’ breathing space to allow them to save money for the Rivers Board, and the law was tweaked to permit them to levy a special tax to pay for flood prevention in the future than the only thing missing would be some kind of a grant to tide them over during the transition.”

Speaking to the Mercury following the debate, Mr Liddell-Grainger said that he was pleased with the outcome saying: “The Government has accepted that we need money for the barrage.

“They’ve accepted that we need to get a Rivers Board set up and we need funding for that, they’ve accepted that there’s another winter coming and we don’t want another disaster and we will continue to keep the pressure on.”