COUNCILLOR Jim Clark, the chairman of North Yorkshire County Council, visited Brompton village recently to look at the work of Brompton Flood Prevention Group.

The group’s chair, Sue Butler-Smith and treasurer Jan Hodgson took the councillor to see some leaky dams at Northfields Farm and the attenuation pond at Kettlewell Farm.

Mrs Butler Smith said: “He was impressed with what we have achieved and the fact that in Storm Ciara the pond filled to its full capacity, 3000 cubic metres which meant although the water came over the sides of the beck it didn’t flow onto the roads either side of the beck, so the villagers didn’t have that fear of flooding. We are in the process of getting another attenuation pond built in conjunction with YDRT and the EA and this work should be carried out on another site on Kettlewell Farm.

“However, if the pond can’t be built before March 2021 we lose the rest of the money given to us by DEFRA, £100,000, to build the pond and increase our existing one. The partnership started three years ago and these projects are managed by YDRT and the EA.

“Any repairs to the dams have to be funded by Brompton Flood Prevention Group as the money doesn’t cover that. We really appreciated the councillor taking time out of his busy schedule to look at the work we have accomplished ourselves.”

A recent fundraising quiz was cancelled because of the pandemic, but the group received a donation from Brompton council which will pay for the repair one of the three dams that need repairing.

Mrs Butler Smith added: “We would also like to thank Brompton village residents who support us so well with our fundraising events.”