Extra funding has been agreed to strengthen Dorset’s roads against flooding after recent storms.
Dorset Council approved measures at its Full Council meeting on Tuesday 10 February, making up to £5.25m available for highways, including a £5m capital flood resilience fund and £250,000 to establish a dedicated gully cleaning crew to clear storm debris and improve drainage performance.
The capital fund will support schemes as they are designed and delivered, with spending phased over time rather than in a single year, focusing first on known hotspots and locations affected by storm damage to reduce repeated flooding and disruption.
Councillor Simon Clifford, Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Strategy, said the package was “practical investment residents will see and feel”, adding that it would target the worst hit areas and strengthen them for future storms.
The council will continue working with the Environment Agency on main rivers while directing its own resources towards surface water, groundwater and smaller watercourses, and is set to consider joining the regional flood and coastal partnership to improve cross boundary working.
Formal Section 19 investigations under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 will examine recent flooding, clarify responsibilities and publish findings, alongside a wider review due to the scale of events.
Works will prioritise drainage upgrades, culvert repairs and surface treatments, running alongside schemes at Dinah’s Hollow near Shaftesbury and coastal protection in Lyme Regis, West Bay and Swanage.
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