CRUSADE Flood victims take their case to 10 Downing Street (From Gazette & Herald)

CRUSADE Flood victims take their case to 10 Downing Street

THEY came with their banners, their sandbags and their hopes - and now they have to wait for D-Day on Friday.

Friday is when the flood victims of Ryedale learn whether the committee responsible for raising flood defence cash is prepared to recommend an increase in levies.

Forty flood victims travelled to London on Tuesday on the Gazette & Herald coach in a crusade to try to force the Government into action. They demanded flood defences - now - paid for by the Government. Flood minister Elliot Morley told them it was up to the Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee to pay for defences, not the Government.

But he did give flood protesters a ray of hope when he said he would be open to further talks if Ryedale failed to get the funding it needed.

The trip to London was inspired by an idea from Marie Stewart, of Springfield Garth, Norton, to bring home the human face of flooding.

The protesters took a portfolio of photographs of their homes to 10 Downing Street. They told crowds of newsmen of their fears of even more floods.

"In the last 20 months, we have spent 12 months away from our home," said Di Keal, who helped organise the trip.

A deputation from the group met with Government floods minister Elliot Morley in a 40-minute private meeting. Howard Keal, leading the group told the minister: "It is a race against time to have the defences put in place before the inevitable happens and the river over-tops its existing banks."

Mr Morley told the meeting he could not give 100pc Government funding. Money had to be raised through Yorkshire's local authorities and managed by the Regional Flood Defence Committee. He was hopeful, however, that behind-the-scenes talks may have already succeeded in persuading the committee it must raise enough money for fast track defences.

Last month, flood defence committee members refused to raise levies by the approximately 60pc needed if Malton and Norton were to be helped.

Since then, the Government has increased its financial offer for repair to existing defences. This effectively relieves the financial burden on the committee so it would need a levy increase of 36pc, which amounts to around 10p a week extra from council tax payers.

Local businessman Paul Tate-Smith of Sundella, also at the meeting, said: "I am more hopeful now than I was this morning. I am reasonably confident that Malton, Norton and Old Malton will get their schemes, even if insufficient money is raised."

With impeccable timing, the influential Commons Agriculture Committee has reported that the money the Government has given nationally is not enough. It also says there should be one person to take responsibility for flood and coastal defences.

The report also criticises the Government for taking a long time to review the complicated way defence work is funded. It says the delay provides an excuse to put off responses to questions on funding while the review continues.

Howard Keel said: "Tomorrow is D-Day. Tomorrow, the councillors will have the opportunity to put down a marker for the third flood. They could look back with a clear conscience knowing they put defences in place to prevent homes and businesses being damaged again. They had two years already and failed. Now this is their last opportunity to make amends for past failure."

He urges anyone with an interest in flood defences to come to the meeting. It is open to the public and starts at 11am in the Dante Suite at York Race Course on Friday, February 2.

Updated: 10:19 Friday, February 02, 2001