WORCESTER'S MP has defended a controversial cut in flooding funding - insisting it pales into comparison with the record investments across Worcestershire.

Robin Walker insists the county council has nothing to fear after a budget for managing and planning against floods was slashed 33 per cent.

As your Worcester News revealed yesterday, a grant from DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) is going from £117,000 to just £78,000 next year.

But aside from the cut, since the devastating floods of 2007 more than £10 million has been spent on resilience in Worcestershire, including Environment Agency funding.

The most notable schemes include the Hylton Road bund in Worcester and the defences in Kempsey.

The Government has injected £3.2 billion into flood resilience during this parliament, a record amount.

The county council described its budget cut as "a huge disappointment" yesterday while people affected by the rising waters also criticised it.

But Mr Walker, who is Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Environment Secretary Liz Truss, says the track record is strong.

"It is important to remember that the majority of funding to local authorities will be 'recovery' money and specific investment in flood defences, which are much bigger sums than these figures," he said.

"The amount of money towards raising New Road (a £1 million project being done next year with £700,000 from the Government) alone is actually much bigger than this county council fund.

"So it's important we look at it in that context. This fund (the one being cut) was set up specifically to allow local authorities to get their planned flood responses set up, and it was always meant to be used that way.

"Obviously we've also got the Autumn Statement coming up (next Wednesday) and if anything comes out of that for flooding in Worcestershire it is also likely to be much bigger than the sums we're talking about here."

The county council has a responsibility to take a lead in managing and investigating flooding in Worcestershire including drainage problems, ponds, flash flooding, ditches and 'non-major' watercourses.

It revealed yesterday that £40,000 has been pulled from its general budget to top the Government grant up and ensure it can carry on unhindered with its flood risk strategy in 2015.

DEFRA says councils were warned to expect reductions to the fund, which launched in 2011, back in January.

Across the UK a £15 million DEFRA kitty is being cut down to £10 million, with councils free to top it up themselves.