HOUSEHOLDERS may have to pay more council tax to help create crucial funds to help tackle flooding in the county, the town’s MP says.

Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger says Sedgemoor District Council already provides a contribution to flooding but says there are future plans for this to be extended so householders across Somerset make a contribution.

He said this would be the next phase in tackling the huge problem of flooding which affects many communities in the area and will ensure enough funds are in place to deal with it in the future.

He said: “I have been speaking to Liz Truss, the Government’s Environment Secretary and we have agreed that a council tax levy could be the way forward, a work in progress if you like.

“No-one in Somerset could really say flooding doesn’t affect them as we even had it in Blake Gardens in Bridgwater as well as Exmoor and Minehead.

“We need a Somerset pot to draw from so this problem can be met head on.”

Mr Liddell-Grainger said there would also be some progress made by the formation of the new river authorities which would be made up from district and county council members as well as Natural England and drainage board’s representatives.

He said in the future there may more money available from the Government in the form of a capital grant which could be used, as well as existing money which could be transferred from the Environment Agency across to the new authority.