Anger over diverted flood cash

3:38pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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By Charlie Crabtree »

A FORMER Wyre Forest district councillor whose home was devastated by the 2007 floods says he is "appalled" by the council's "misappropriation" of money meant for flood defences.

The council is proposing spending £12,000 of the £44,000 donated by the Red Cross towards flood schemes on "reinstating" the public open space and playground at Wolverley Memorial Hall - an area unaffected by last year's flooding.

Nigel Addison, a former district and parish Conservative councillor and who contested last week's district council elections as a Health Concern candidate, said: "I am appalled. I was affected by the floods myself and know what a tragedy it was to people.

"This money could help protect people's homes from future flooding - that is what it was intended for. This is just wrong. It's political gamesmanship from the council."

Mr Addison said he had been calling on the council for many years to spend money on the playground but the grant was meant for flood affected areas.

He added: "This is a misappropriation of funds. If someone gives you a grant to improve your home and you buy a car, this is misappropriation, and that is what has happened in this case."

He explained: "I am not saying that the grant should be withdrawn at this stage but this money should be transferred from the council's general revenue budget and given back to the people it was meant to help."

Walter Delin, the council's chief executive, said: "It was considered that the grant presented a timely opportunity to improve an important community resource, particularly for the children and young people of the village to enjoy in the future."

He added: "The use of the £12,000 for this project has been endorsed by the British Red Cross and there is no question of a serious case of misappropriation of funds'".

He explained that the scheme was part of a wider community initiative aiming to improve and restore social and environmental wellbeing to the village as a whole.