Kent flood defence conference planned

The floods during the winter of 2013 and 2014 affected large parts of Kent

A conference to look at the lessons learned from last winter's floods in Kent is being set up.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is organising the conference.

More than 200 homes were flooded in the Yalding and Tonbridge area a year ago, and thousands of people were left without power.

A £35m flood defence scheme will be built with the government funding half and Kent County Council "underwriting" the costs of the other half.

Richard Knox-Johnston, from CPRE, said: "We feel it is vital to look at what has happened since those disastrous floods and what prevention work is planned and then to assess whether this will be enough to prevent the terrible damage to homes and land in the future."

It is hoped the conference, scheduled for 6 February at County Hall in Maidstone, will hear from MPs, council leaders and the Environment Agency.

Paul Carter, leader of Kent County Council, had previously not ruled out an increase in council tax to pay for new flood defence work.