BRIDGWATER'S MP has said it is 'too dangerous to play with flood mitigation' as Somerset County Council announced this week it would be reducing funding on small-scale schemes.

Conservative Ian Liddell-Grainger hit out after Somerset County Council announced £140,000 of cuts to small-scale flood mitigation schemes this week as councillors seek to find £18 million in savings to meet a drop in funding from central government.

Leader of Somerset County Council David Fothergill said cuts had to be made and services 'reviewed' as the authority simply cannot afford it.

There will be back office savings, improved efficiencies in a new highways maintenance contract, fewer people using concessionary bus passes and reducing spending on agency and temporary staff.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said: "The flooding issue is something I am extremely worried about.

"No-one can forget the floods of winter 2013, and lessons were learned. Although this only affects small-scale mitigation schemes I am worried about the precedent it sets and I think it should be reversed with immediate effect. Flood mitigation is too dangerous to play with."

Cllr Fothergill said: "We cannot continue running many of our services as we do now, we cannot afford it.

"We lost more than £100m in revenue over the past few years. We ahve to change. We ahve to adapt. We ahve to live within our means."