A COUNCIL'S decision not to grant funds to help a village recover from a devastating flood has been described as a 'hammer blow.'

Loftus Town Council decided at a meeting on Monday night not to set aside cash for the Skinningrove Flood Appeal, which was set up to repair the damage of July's damaging torrent.

The refusal comes in the wake of another blow to the village last month, when the Environment Agency declined to upgrade Skinningrove Beck to a main river, which would have made it eligible for extra anti-flood measures.

Now Steve Kay, a ward councillor for Lockwood, Carlin How and Skinningrove, claims that Loftus Council is neglecting the area in favour of central Loftus.

He said: "I'm very disappointed that Loftus Town Council has not given anything to Skinningrove flood relief.

"Skinningrove and Carlin How are paying council tax to Loftus Town Council and they hardly get anything back."

Councillor Kay said the disparity in the council's priorities is made abundantly clear by the £275,000 refurbishment of Loftus Town Hall, for which the whole parish is paying.

"The people of Skinningrove and Carlin How have to pay an increase in council tax to pay for the upgrading of Loftus Town Hall," he said.

"They pay the highest precept in Redcar and Cleveland. Why can't Loftus Town Council put something back?"

He added: "Skinningrove has taken a lot of punishment lately. This is the latest hammer blow."

Local resident Terry Richards, of Skinningrove High Street, said he feels neglected.

"I've lived here all my life and there's never been any money for this area," he said."

But Eric Jackson, the chairman of Loftus Town Council, defended the decision not to support the appeal.

He said: "We haven't ruled out giving any money to the appeal in the future, but at the moment, we haven't got the necessary facts to agree to it."

He added: "The town hall has been refurbished for the benefit of the whole community.