New £5m Flood Fund and Gully Crew Announced to Keep Dorset Moving

Extra £5.25m Approved to Repair Storm Damage and Boost Flood Resilience in Dorset

Dorset Council has approved more than £5 million in additional funding to repair storm-damaged roads and reduce the risk of future flooding, taking the county’s total highways funding to just under £50 million.

The measures were agreed at a Full Council meeting on Tuesday (10 February) and include a £5 million capital flood-resilience fund, alongside £250,000 to establish a dedicated gully-cleaning crew to clear roadside drains blocked during recent storms.

Council leaders say the investment will allow work to begin immediately at known flooding hotspots, focusing on repairing damaged sections of highway, improving drainage and reducing disruption for residents and businesses. Spending from the capital fund will be phased as schemes are designed and delivered rather than concentrated in a single year.

Officials stressed that while the work will improve highway drainage and help roads recover faster after heavy rainfall, it will not prevent flooding caused by rivers or groundwater, which depend on wider catchment conditions and tides. Dorset Council will continue to work with the Environment Agency on main-river issues, while directing its own resources toward surface water, groundwater and smaller watercourses.

As part of the response to recent severe weather, the council is also launching formal Section 19 flood investigations under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. These inquiries will examine recent flooding incidents, clarify responsibilities between agencies, review responses and publish findings. A broader investigation is also planned to provide residents and businesses with clearer accountability and recommendations.

Councillor Simon Clifford, Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Strategy, described the funding as “practical investment residents will see and feel,” adding that the programme will target the worst-hit locations first and strengthen them against future storms.

The council says priority will be given to projects that reduce repeated flooding and keep communities connected, including drainage upgrades, culvert repairs and surface treatments in areas with recurring problems. The programme will run alongside major safety schemes already under way, such as works at Dinah’s Hollow near Shaftesbury and ongoing coastal protection in Lyme Regis, West Bay and Swanage.

For residents, the council says the funding should mean faster recovery of flood-damaged roads and pavements, as well as more proactive drainage maintenance to reduce standing water during heavy rain.

The highways resilience programme has begun, with the new gully-cleaning crew being put in place and priority sites scheduled as conditions allow. Further updates are expected as schemes are confirmed and work gets under way.

The additional investment forms part of Dorset Council’s £482.6 million budget for 2026/27, which members also approved at the same meeting.