PLANS to strengthen and raise vital flood embankments in York are hanging in the balance, a senior councillor has revealed.

The defences saved hundreds of homes in the Leeman Road area from flooding by the River Ouse in November 2000, but it was a close-run thing as waters lapped the tops of the banks, which had to be topped with sandbags.

The embankments may be needed again in coming days after further heavy rain in the Pennines comes down the Ouse.

The Environment Agency concluded a couple of years ago that the defences needed upgrading, but has so far got no further than some early testing work.

Now Coun Andrew Waller, who is City of York Council's representative on the agency's Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee, says the agency will have to decide in the next three months whether the £2 million scheme can remain in the capital programme, or whether it will have to be shelved for the time being.

The Liberal Democrat councillor said that the programme was under pressure because of the need to repair defences elsewhere in Yorkshire, following last summer's severe floods. It's hanging in the balance," he said. "I said at the committee meeting on Thursday that I did not want it to be shelved.

"Officers will have to examine the figures and calculate whether it can remain in the programme."

He said he believed more money should have been set aside by the Government to pay specifically for repairs to defences after last summer's floods.

Labour councillor Tracey Simpson Laing, who helped sandbag the embankment in the 2000 floods, said the upgrade was needed, but officials also needed to ensure that water did not back up the drains in the Leeman Road area.

Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, strongly defended the Government's record of spending on flood defences during a visit to York earlier this week.

He said spending had doubled in the past decade from £300 million to £600 million, and the figure was set to rise again by 2010/11 to £800 million.