VICTIMS of the 2014 floods are being let down by the Government, according to a Labour campaigner in Bridgwater.

Cllr Mick Lerry, who is standing for election in May’s General Election, claims that businesses and landowners are being denied funding due to the lengthy and complicated claims process.

Cllr Lerry said: “This week marks a year since David Cameron told floodstricken communities that ‘money is no object’ in the relief effort.

“However new figures revealed by Labour show that the Government has failed to pay out millions in funds promised to flood victims and businesses.

“Businesses and landowners that have carried out repairs and improvements are finding it so difficult to claim the money back.”

Labour claims that so far the Government has paid out less than one third of the £10million farming recovery fund, to farmers affected by flooding, just over half the £6million of council tax rebates for flood-damaged properties and less than a quarter of the £5million sport relief fund for damaged sporting facilities.

Rebecca Horsington of the Flooding on the Levels Action Group (FLAG) said that the process to claim for funding had not been made easy and questions needed to be asked about the unspent funds.

She said: “The whole process was so difficult and the £35,000 cap that was put on each individual claim was not high enough.

“However now we need to make sure that any money that is left in the pot doesn’t just disappear.

“We would like to see the excess funds given over to land recovery and further flood prevention measures – it shouldn’t just go back into the coffers.”

Speaking to the Mercury, Conservative MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset Ian Liddell-Grainger said that farmers and property owners who had claimed had received (or are in the process of receiving) the funding.

He said: “Yes we haven’t used all the money but the key is that each landowner has to apply for it.

“The Government quite rightly said that because we’re in austerity we can’t just give this money out.

“We need to make sure it’s going to the right places and being used correctly.”

The MP, who will be standing for re-election in May, also said that as far as he was concerned, the remaining funds will continue to be used to benefit flood victims and for further flood prevention measures.

“Negotiations for the remaining funds haven’t taken place yet because I wanted the Government to keep the funds open while we had another winter – I expect to sit down to discuss that in the summer.”