WEST Devon Borough Council is being called upon to allocate cash from its capital reserves to fund a desperately needed flood defence scheme in North Tawton.

Following the fourth major flooding incident in the town in ten months, borough council members said they were 'deeply pessimistic' that the problems would be sorted by the normal methods i.e by agencies such as the Environment Agency and South West Water.

The borough council has already funded a £20,000 study to identify the complex problems which contribute to the flooding in North Tawton and provide solutions, one of the main aim's being to put pressure on the different agencies to take responsibility.

But at a meeting of the council this week, members pressed for immediate action to end the misery for the many families who are living in constant fear of the next downpour.

High levels in the River Taw, surcharging of the sewer, run off from roads and land and flash floods coming down Fore Street have caused different properties to flood at different times.

Cllr David Whitcomb (Mary Tavy) said he could understand what the residents were going through because his house had been flooded.

'When are we going to do something for these people,' he said. 'It is all very nice talking about it but I am interested in the people who have had their houses flooded — I have been there and it is not a very nice place to be.'

Head of environmental services Nick Payne told councillors the whole issue was about money because not much could be done without it. A flood defence scheme for North Tawton would cost at least £500,000.

He said ironically, despite all the coverage about the floods in North Tawton in the regional press, the town did not figure on the priority list for flood defence work should several millions of pounds be released from the Government for schemes in the region.

'This is the problem with small areas of localised flooding, it does not feature very highly, not like the coastal towns,' he said.

'Until we overcome this issue of money we will not be able to provide a solution to the people of North Tawton.'

For the last couple of years the council had provided advice, support and information plus sandbags and even sand itself to try and manage some of the problems in the town, added the officer.

He hoped the survey would enable the authority to put pressure on the Environment Agency to bring forward the scheme to protect Mill Road cottages, South West Water to update and maintain the sewer and landowners to clear the leat and river where they run through private land.

Cllr Nick Waterhouse (Burrator) said: 'I am deeply pessimistic this will be sorted out by the normal methods. A scheme at Brightley took at least five years and the problem was that too many agencies were involved. They all waited for the one on the right or left to move first.

'There is going to come a time when we cannot do this by the book so I think we should have a deadline.'

He said there was up to £18 million in the council's capital reserves, a great deal of which was allocated to projects a lot less deserving than North Tawton's.

'The cost of a scheme in North Tawton would be approximately one leisure centre,' said Cllr Waterhouse. 'If we can get this thing done according to the book then let's do that but if we can't I suggest we grit our teeth and put up the money ourselves.'

North Tawton ward member Cllr Nick Morgan explained the deep concern and frustration in the town which was identified as requiring a flood defence scheme 40 years ago.

'Six years ago it was third on the list — today it is nowhere — that is frustrating,' he said.

'People have no faith in the Environment Agency, South West Water or Devon County Council and I cannot blame them.'

He spoke of examples where the agencies had failed to return to the town following flooding incidents to investigate problems and carry out works.

'I want to thank the borough council for being the only agency to put its hand in its pocket to produce this survey. I just hope we are ahead of the game and the study will bring down money from Government to relieve North Tawton of the problems it has at the moment.'