FLOOD protection is back on the council’s agenda following a flood seminar last week.
The session, held on August 31, confirmed that in 2020 the Scottish Government wrote to Dumfries and Galloway Council to advise them of the Scottish Ministers’ decision to confirm the Whitesands Flood Protection Scheme without modification and to grant deemed planning permission.
The scheme would be 80 per cent funded through the Government’s ring-fenced flood protection budget. This remains the case today. Following this, the next phase would be the appointment of scheme designers to complete all detailed designs, prepare contract documentation and prepare for construction.
Lochar Labour councillor Linda Dorward stated she was ‘extremely pleased’ that the sheme was on the council’s radar and said: “This confirmed scheme remains on course for Scottish Government funding. However, we have learned that this specific funding stream is time limited. To ensure we obtain the necessary funding we need this scheme to go ahead when this is debated at full council.
“If we don’t use it, we will lose it, as any alternative flood protection schemes would not meet agreed funding deadlines; we would consequently risk having no viable flood protection for this town.
“The Labour Group believe Dumfries town does not deserve this, especially in a climate emergency, and it would be a dereliction of duty by serving elected members if this Whitesands Flood Protection Scheme did not proceed as planned.”
