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I posted this on another thread one week ago, but it's worth repeating here:
Labour never gets many votes in Cornwall. This time they'll likely get even less - headline story in regional paper:
Labour never gets many votes in Cornwall. This time they'll likely get even less - headline story in regional paper:
BOSCASTLE AID BOMBSHELL
11:00 - 17 March 2005
John Prescott accused after finance refused
The Government has been accused of "hypocrisy" after it emerged that taxpayers in Cornwall will have to pick up a £760,000 bill from the Boscastle flood disaster.
News that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister had refused the county council financial help for rebuilding the infrastructure of the flood-devastated community, was yesterday greeted with anger and disbelief by members of the council's executive.
Some accused the Government of letting down both the county council and the people of Cornwall by turning its back on pledges made in the aftermath of the August disaster, including promises made by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott when he visited Boscastle.
"To have a very senior politician turn up and score points from a publicity stunt and then six months later, after we have been through all the twisted bureaucracy, say there's nothing forthcoming is unfair," Coun Bert Biscoe said.
"I think it is hypocritical of the Government to make compassionate sounding noises on the day and then later find a way of wriggling out of paying what is a relatively small amount of money for them."
Council leader John Lobb added: "Mr Prescott was very positive about his support when he visited Cornwall but we have not received any money."
The county council is already left with a bill of £176,000 from the floods. But final costs are predicted to rise to £760,000, most of which is needed to repair the road network.
The council believed that the Government would provide extra funding after comments made by Mr Prescott during his visit to Boscastle on August 17.
At the time Mr Prescott said: "We will do whatever we can to help. There are procedures that governments can give assistance in these matters - we will be talking that over at a later stage."
But attempts to access the funds have been frustrated, and Mr Prescott's office has now indicated that no more money will be made available.
The Environment Agency called the flood "one of the most extreme ever" in Britain.
Since 1989, emergency financial assistance has been available to local authorities under the Bellwin scheme. Named after a previous environment minister, it is to help with uninsurable clear-up costs following a disaster or emergency in an area that involves destruction or danger to life and property.
It was confirmed last month that North Cornwall District Council received the full sum it claimed, £447,000. Of that, £89,000 was for Devon and Cornwall Police and £16,000 for the Environment Agency.
The overall cost of the flood was estimated to be tens of millions of pounds. One leading insurer revealed that it alone would be paying £3 million to customers in Boscastle.
Yesterday, the council's ruling executive resolved to seek an urgent meeting with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Last night a spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said the bid had not met the necessary criteria. He said: "After last year's floods, the Deputy Prime Minister said that the Government would do 'whatever it could' to help. Following this pledge Mr Prescott gave North Cornwall District Council almost £500,000 under the Bellwin Scheme. Cornwall County Council also asked the Department for Transport (DfT) for £1.35 million to pay for road repairs. DfT policy is only to fund emergency repairs where the cost is more than 15 per cent of the county's annual local transport plan capital allocations for highway maintenance. Unfortunately under the DfT's rules, Cornwall did not qualify for financial help."[/unquote]