COMMUNITIES in the Cotswolds are to benefit from £250,000 of flood defence works.

Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) has £1million available for flood alleviation works across six district councils while the districts themselves are also investing in the schemes.

Cotswold District Council submitted a list of projects and the county council was able to give it nearly all the funding requested for work in Moreton, Weston Sub Edge, Chipping Campden, Lower Slaughter and Bledington.

GCC will also be contributing £20,000 to a scheme in Blockley which includes de-silting of a watercourse and mill ponds and highway drainage improvements.

Councillor Mark Hawthorne, leader GCC, said: “This work is great news for the people of Gloucestershire. This investment in protecting our infrastructure from the flood risk has been made possible thanks to back-office savings.

“There are schemes right across the county which will reduce the flood risk further in those areas.”

Work has already started on some of the schemes across the county, with others expected to start within the next few months.