THE Government is to pump an extra £4.4m into meeting the cost of the flooding disaster that struck the Yorkshire region late last year.

Floods Minister Elliot Morley made the announcement yesterday during a visit to one of the worst-hit areas, Barlby, near Selby.

But the news was given only a guarded welcome in North Yorkshire, because the cash will not contribute towards future flood defence repair work or support any capital projects.

The cash is the lion's share of a national £11.6m rescue package put together following the bad weather of last autumn and this winter.

It will mean that the Environment Agency in the Yorkshire region will be able to balance its books this year.

It will also reduce the agency's levy on local authorities from 63 per cent - which council leaders have already refused to back - to 36 per cent.

However, it still leaves North Yorkshire with a situation which would cost council taxpayers an extra £750,000.

The county council's chief executive, Jeremy Walker, said: "Of course we welcome any help. But the fact remains that the announcement does not address the underlying problem of lack of investment in existing flood defences. Nor does it provide new money for much-needed capital schemes.

"We will continue to press for investment through the local government finance settlement due shortly."