YORKSHIRE Water will be asked to re-think its flood defence blueprint for the Malton area which, say town councillors, does not include a permanent solution for Old Malton, one of the repeatedly hit areas.

Malton town councillor Paul Andrews said the water firm’s report only covered the provision of emergency pumps for Old Malton when necessary. “That is not good enough”, he told last week’s meeting.

Councillor Jason Fitzgerald-Smith said: “The implications are that Yorkshire Water is not looking at a permanent solution, merely a triggered one when floods occur. That will be costly.

“We needed 30 pumps in the last floods a year ago and that amounted to nearly £500,000, including the support services.”

Councillor David Lloyd-Williams said the geography of the Malton and Old Malton area had not been considered and Yorkshire Water should treat floods as the Romans did “very effectively” in Malton.

He also criticised the lack of consultation by Yorkshire Water and North Yorkshire County Council with people living in the area, but town clerk Mike Skehan said it was planned to have consultations carried out as part of the flood management scheme plans.

However, councillors voted to express concern to the county council and Yorkshire Water that the flood defence system in Castlegate, Malton, had not worked correctly and permanent solutions were needed in the town and in Old Malton.