Holyrood is urged to plug funding gap
Aberfoyle flood row
There have been calls for the Scottish government to join a scheme to protect Aberfoyle from flooding.
Trossachs and Teith councillor Martin Earl said Holyrood should match the council’s commitment to flood proection in the area.
Stirling Council approved recommendations for the £5 million scheme last month.
The council’s environment and housing committee heard that the option, which was more expensive than the initially proposed £1.4 million scheme, was best placed to protect a significant area of Aberfoyle and its homes and businesses from flooding.
The Scottish Government has already agreed to help finance three other flood schemes in Callander, Bridge of Allan and Stirling but the Aberfoyle project did not qualify under a cost-to-benefit ratio.
Officials said the £1.4 million scheme would only have protected five commercial properties.
But the council administration is calling on the Scottish Government to ignore its own criteria and contribute towards the Aberfoyle scheme.
Stirling Council has put up half the estimated cost for the project and Conservative councillor Martin Earl said the government should foot the other 50 per cent of the bill.
Councillor Earl said: “It’s deeply disappointing that the SNP sought to make a political issue out of the need for Aberfoyle to get an effective flood defence system that the community is supportive of.
“I’m sure local elections on May 4 have nothing whatsoever to do with that.
“What I cannot understand is that, while all the other flood schemes across Stirling are being supported by the Scottish Government, Aberfoyle is not.
“We have put over half the estimated cost into our budget and I call on the Scottish Government to match that commitment.
“The Stirling SNP in their budget proposal were prepared to commit the council to the entire cost of the scheme without even knowing the finalised figure and not seek a penny from their own government. That is appalling.”
Trossachs and Teith SNP councillor Alycia Hayes fired back, saying: “Councillor Earl has a cheek. He knows only too well and has known for many years that Aberfoyle does not meet national funding criteria for flooding.
“He is simply trying to cover up the fact that he and his Con/Lab colleagues chose not to allocate sufficient capital funding in last week’s budget.
“Councillor Earl should accept his responsibilities.
“He is a component part of the governing administration which is failing to keep its promises. The buck stops with him.”
All the other schemes are being supported. Aberfoyle is not.