Residents of Stamford Bridge will be able to inspect flood defence plans for the village next week.

The Environment Agency is planning a £1 million scheme and will be bringing displays to the village hall next Thursday, April 19.

Meanwhile Ryedale flood victims are pressing the agency for assurances on funding for their flood defences, Rawcliffe residents have welcomed the opportunity to meet floods minister Elliott Morley at the end of this month, and Selby MP John Grogan has welcomed plans for flood defences south of Naburn.

The Stamford Bridge scheme should be submitted for planning permission at the end of this month.

If all goes to plan, work should begin at the end of this year or the beginning of next year and be finished in time for the following winter.

Project manager Tom Fewster said: "The agency is keen that residents come along to the display and we hope that officers can try to explain the next stages required before work can begin on the scheme."

Ryedale flood victims will tonight push for assurances on funding for a flood defence scheme when they meet the agency.

The meeting, at Ryedale House, will also see the Derwent Action Group - which represents flood victims from the region - receive a report on John Prescott's second visit to Norton.

The group will also be briefed on general progress about the defence scheme, and a date and time for an exhibition of plans for the scheme is expected to be set.

Action group spokesman Howard Keal said he and his colleagues will ask for clarification over funding.

He said: "The regional flood defence committee have committed themselves to the scheme when there are still question marks hanging over its funding.

"A budget has been voted through which requires a big increase to ensure the work is carried out, and this has been done without any commitment to finding the cash.

"That is one concern we will definitely be raising."

Rawcliffe residents will meet floods minister Elliot Morley on April 30 to air their concerns about flood defences in their area of York.

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh has written to Mr Morley asking him to improve existing flood defences as a matter of urgency.

She said the delegation would raise issues about the burden borne by council tax payers towards the cost of the floods and the fact that many houses in Rawcliffe were still not habitable.

"I am delighted Mr Morley has agreed to meet a delegation from Rawcliffe. We want to keep the Government to its commitments."

Plans for flood defences south of Naburn, which have been submitted to City of York Council, were welcomed by Mr Grogan.

The Environment Agency is planning an additional flood embankment along the edge of the B1222 road, a flood wall around the bungalow to the caravan site, and raising the flood embankment downstream of Naburn Lock.

There are also plans for a flood embankment in Wood Dyke Road.

The work is to be funded by RJB Mining to compensate for the effects of existing nearby mining.

The Selby MP said: "I am pleased that the Environment Agency and RJB Mining have now reached agreement on this scheme."

Updated: 12:13 Wednesday, April 11, 2001