Residents in Southwell have said they are devastated and angry after discovering they have only a few weeks to spend government grants for flood protection measures instead of the three years they expected.
A total of 215 out of 246 homes and businesses affected by the floods of July 2013 applied for the £5,000 renewal and repair grant, being administered through Newark and Sherwood District Council.
Any excess from the £5,000 grant could be donated to Southwell Flood Forum’s community fund towards town flood mitigation measures.
However, the forum has been told the money must be spent — and backed by invoices — before the end of September this year, or be lost.
“Because flood reports have been delayed for one reason or another, the town-wide flood mitigation measures are yet to be designed and costed,” said Mr Rob Jordan, flood forum chairman.
“It is completely impracticable. No worthwhile scheme can be designed, costed, tendered and implemented within that timescale.
“To hurry such an important project would be a recipe for disaster.
“It is vital that any community scheme is an integrated and well-planned design.
“This money belongs to the community to protect itself. We now urge the community to contact the district council to reclaim their donated element of the grant.
“Time is of the essence with an impending deadline of the end of September, so people will need to decide as quickly as possible how to best use it for their own property level protection and complete their application.”
The forum has written an open letter to the Prime Minster, Mr David Cameron, asking him to review the case.
