EMERGENCY Government aid will ease the financial burden on the small North-East local authority plunged into an expensive post-flood mopping-up operation.

But, more importantly for Wear Valley District Council, is the sign from Westminster that they could qualify for more help.

Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster asked the parliamentary question which brought confirmation that the council qualifies for cash under the Bellwin scheme, providing up to £16,000 to cover 85 per cent of non-insurable costs.

He said: "This is a major breakthrough. The Government has acknowledged that the floods were a disaster that should be centrally funded, with additional expenditure being met by the taxpayer instead of the ratepayers of Wear Valley."

The council's finance director, Eddie Scrivens, who has played a major role in coordinating a crisis centre for flood victims, said the grant was a big boost for morale.

"Unfortunately it does not go directly to the victims, but at least we will be able to get back some of the thousands of pounds we have spent on things like refuse collection and feeding stations," he said.

"The final bill to the council is going to be many thousands of pounds, and we will be making claims wherever we can to get the money back."

echo