A BOLTON MP has criticised the government for not providing enough funding for local flood victims.

The town has been given almost £385,000 to help those affected by the floods — but Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi says that amount is not enough.

Ms Qureshi spoke out after a question she asked in parliament revealed how much cash Greater Manchester local authorities including Bolton have been given.

The town has received £384,377, which is designed to be used to help residents rebuild their homes and for businesses to recover from the damage.

Bolton received the fourth highest amount of funding, behind Salford, Bury and Rochdale. Salford was given £1,981,754, Bury received £1,495,514 and Rochdale was handed £1,403,164.

Ms Qureshi said: "I think the government should be giving a lot more money to people in Bolton given the devastation residents suffered during the floods.

"But we also need the Environment Agency to come and look at the flood defences, there are a lot more questions to be asked."

Bolton Council is using the money differently to other councils such as Bury, Salford and Rochdale, which have handed out grants of £500 to flooded households.

It says it is awarding grants in terms of need rather than handing out flat grants of £500.

Ms Qureshi said: "Each council makes its own decisions, but Bolton Council has ensured that people are being helped. Some people's costs will be a lot more than £500 so the money will be there for people who need it most."

A spokesman from the department for communities and local government said the figure was comprised of the government's communities and business recovery scheme as well as council tax relief.

The council previously announced that residents affected by flooding would not pay council tax until April, and United Utilities said residents would not have to pay their water bills until they return home.

Houses in Riverside Drive, Prestolee were worst affected, with properties in Thorn Well, Westhoughton, and Albion Terrace near Forest Road in Smithills also flooded.

Neil Fairclough, who lives in Riverside Drive with his wife and two children, says he will remain sceptical until he knows where the money is going.

He said: "I am happy we have got something, but it depends on what it's being spent on. Most of the houses in Riverside Drive are insured, so the main things the residents are thinking about now are why did it happen, and what we can do to stop it in future.

"As a family we can't be flooded again. We have just about managed this time, but if it happened again in five years it would destroy us."

Ministers said local authorities are responsible for how the money is distributed, with the overall total being calculated in terms of the number of households flooded in each area.

Answering Ms Qureshi in Parliament, James Wharton, department for local government minister, said: "The Department is supporting local authorities affected by Storm Desmond and Storm Eva with community recovery, business support and property resilience through the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme.

"It is for local authorities to determine how to use this money to best meet local need and ensure value for money.

"To date the Department has paid out over £47 million under the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme, including the amounts below to local authorities in the Greater Manchester area."

Funding received by councils in Greater Manchester

Salford - £1,981,754

Bury - £1,495,514

Rochdale - £1,403,164

Bolton - £384,377

Wigan - £178,009

Oldham - £29,910

Manchester - £29,290

Trafford - £3,694