Road and anti-flooding measures require £20m spend by Suffolk County Council

Tiggins Lane, Kelsale, near Saxmundham regularly floods turning it into a ford after heavy rain

A council is to consider spending £20m on roads and flooding measures, despite a report showing it would need triple that amount to maintain standards.

Suffolk County Council is being asked to approve £10m for more road drainage and £10m towards footpath improvements.

But a report said to achieve a "steady state condition", with no overall deterioration or improvement, some £60m per year would be needed.

This would need "double the levels" of government funding, the council heard.

"We are committed to doing more to invest in and improve on the county's drainage systems and footways," said Paul West, Conservative county council cabinet member for operational highways and flooding.

The work, which will cover a period from 2024 to 2025 , includes drainage improvements at targeted locations of flooding and will run in parallel with existing drainage work programmes.

In March it emerged that the county had a 10-year backlog of flooding issues with 845 problem spots.

Suffolk County Council has covered pandemic losses through government grants

Pavement upgrades will see busy footpaths in both towns and rural areas prioritised, to encourage people to walk more for short journeys, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reportedsaid.

Keith Welham, highways and transport spokesman from the opposition Green, Liberal Democrat and Independent group, welcomed the funding proposal but accused the Tories of failing to carry out work over a number of years.

Mr Welham said "the amount of work needed now is much greater and construction costs have escalated."