Call for more funding to tackle threat of coastal erosion

The Scottish Government is being urged to look favourably on requests from Angus Council for funding for flood protection in Montrose, as the town faces up to the threat of coastal erosion at its historic golf links.

Angus Conservative MP Kirstene Hair has written to Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham MSP, saying it would be “ridiculous” to expect the authority to pay at a time of “huge” financial pressures.

She wrote: “At a time when you should be looking at supporting our economy – particularly taking advantage of tourism opportunities such as Montrose Golf Links – I’m surprised that your stance seems to be one of studied indifference.

“It can’t be right for your government to abdicate responsibility at a time when council budgets are under huge pressure due to your financial priorities.”

Ms Cunningham told her the government was spending millions on flood protection.

“We are already making £42 million available each year to help local authorities invest in flood protection schemes,” she said. “Angus Council is about to commission a flood study for Montrose which will consider the role of erosion and flood risk to the area.

“The Scottish Government has treated local government very fairly, in spite of the UK Government’s significant cuts to the Scottish budget. Councils will receive funding through local government finance settlement of more than £10.4 billion for 2017-18 and this year alone the overall increase in spending power to support local authority services amounts to almost £383 million or 3.7%.”