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| Flood funding 'too inconsistent' | Flood funding 'too inconsistent' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Financial aid for parts of the country struck by flooding this summer was inconsistent and hastily put together, a public spending watchdog has said. | Financial aid for parts of the country struck by flooding this summer was inconsistent and hastily put together, a public spending watchdog has said. |
| The Audit Commission said the support came quickly, but it was poorly targeted and not good value for money. | The Audit Commission said the support came quickly, but it was poorly targeted and not good value for money. |
| The proportion of the £250m cost of the floods met by local authorities ranged from 3% to 73%, the watchdog said. | The proportion of the £250m cost of the floods met by local authorities ranged from 3% to 73%, the watchdog said. |
| The government welcomed the praise for its rapid response but disagreed with the wider analysis of the report. | The government welcomed the praise for its rapid response but disagreed with the wider analysis of the report. |
| 'Unprecedented steps' | 'Unprecedented steps' |
| The Department for Communities and Local Government argued that a one-size fits all approach to the disaster would have been inappropriate. | The Department for Communities and Local Government argued that a one-size fits all approach to the disaster would have been inappropriate. |
| Floods Recovery Minister John Healey said: "Communities wanted quick and comprehensive support, not a response set out in a rule book six inches thick. | Floods Recovery Minister John Healey said: "Communities wanted quick and comprehensive support, not a response set out in a rule book six inches thick. |
| "I make no apologies for acting swiftly and decisively and we would have rightly been criticised if we'd done otherwise. | "I make no apologies for acting swiftly and decisively and we would have rightly been criticised if we'd done otherwise. |
| "We took unprecedented steps to reflect the unprecedented scale of the floods." | "We took unprecedented steps to reflect the unprecedented scale of the floods." |
| Mr Healey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the government stands by its decision to let local councils decide how the rapid response money should be spent. | |
| "I think we were right to let local authorities decide how best to spend it," he said, adding that local officials were best-positioned to determine need. | |
| Roads affected by the floods are expected to cost £73m, of which the Department for Transport has provided £50m. | Roads affected by the floods are expected to cost £73m, of which the Department for Transport has provided £50m. |
| This is a tale of two floods Steve Bundred, Audit Commission | This is a tale of two floods Steve Bundred, Audit Commission |
| The Department for Communities and Local Government has made £17m available in flood recovery grants. | The Department for Communities and Local Government has made £17m available in flood recovery grants. |
| And education authorities have received more than £13m from the Department for Schools. | And education authorities have received more than £13m from the Department for Schools. |
| The Audit Commission's report assessed the impact of the floods on the 18 worst-hit local authorities, and looked at who would foot the bill. | The Audit Commission's report assessed the impact of the floods on the 18 worst-hit local authorities, and looked at who would foot the bill. |
| Four local authorities were hit hardest. | Four local authorities were hit hardest. |
| Some 69% of the £250m cost has been shouldered by Hull, East Riding, Gloucestershire and Sheffield. | Some 69% of the £250m cost has been shouldered by Hull, East Riding, Gloucestershire and Sheffield. |
| 'Badly thought-out' | 'Badly thought-out' |
| The estimated net cost per household in Hull was £326, compared with £1 in Cherwell, Oxfordshire. | The estimated net cost per household in Hull was £326, compared with £1 in Cherwell, Oxfordshire. |
| The Audit Commission said the government provided money quickly and generously, but said the way the funds were allocated had not been well thought-out. | The Audit Commission said the government provided money quickly and generously, but said the way the funds were allocated had not been well thought-out. |
| The commission warned the unpredictability of the government's response meant people were likely to be left either exposed by councils that under-insure, or out of pocket by those that insure unnecessarily. | The commission warned the unpredictability of the government's response meant people were likely to be left either exposed by councils that under-insure, or out of pocket by those that insure unnecessarily. |
| Steve Bundred, chief executive of the Audit Commission, said: "This is a tale of two floods. There are some local authorities which, although badly hit by the flooding, will bounce back quickly. | Steve Bundred, chief executive of the Audit Commission, said: "This is a tale of two floods. There are some local authorities which, although badly hit by the flooding, will bounce back quickly. |
| "Others will be dealing with the effects of the flooding for some time to come." | "Others will be dealing with the effects of the flooding for some time to come." |