Norfolk phoneline set up to report flooding

A phoneline set up to enable residents to report flooding issues is a "lifeline", a flooding taskforce said.

The service was set up by the Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance (NSFA), which has also carried out its first flooding response test run.

Last winter, 100 areas in the county were flooded and the NSFA has identified 16 areas most at risk.

General Lord Dannatt, NSFA chairman, said the phoneline was for "residents who might otherwise feel abandoned".

The alliance is made up of seven district councils, the county council, Anglian Water, internal drainage boards and other agencies.

The test run simulated a major flooding incident, reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Members assessed their readiness, from the initial Met Office flood warning to the recovery phase.

General Lord Dannatt said the exercise had been helpful, but "local preparedness and planning is only part of what's needed".

"We will also be making the case to the government that the [housing] planning system needs to recognise the importance of ensuring that development does not exacerbate the risk of flooding, either to existing residents and businesses or new ones," he said.

Flooding and flooding risk needed "coherent action from the parish level right up to the government," he added.

Andrew Proctor, Norfolk County Council's Conservative leader, said: "The council's already put money in last year and we're doing so again - £1.5m a year.

"That's not going to go very far, but it will be an annual contribution."

More funding would be needed from the government and other agencies, he added.

"Let's have some money to deal with this, because we know how to deal with it," he said.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]