FRESH fears have been raised about whether a £2 million upgrade of York's flood defences will go ahead.

The Environment Agency has earmarked £314,000 in its latest budget for a scheme aimed at protecting hundreds of homes in the Leeman Road area from rising waters.

But it says the money will only be made available "if it proves to be necessary" - and a leading councillor who is battling to secure more flood defence cash for the city says this leaves him more pessimistic about the future of the project than he was six months ago.

Andrew Waller, City of York Council's representative on the Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee (YRFDC) is concerned no funding has yet been set aside for the Leeman Road plans after this year, and fears this could mean the scheme falling down the pecking order.

At the same meeting, £9.7 million over three years was promised for a Ripon flood defence scheme, despite it ranking lower on the Environment Agency's points scale than Leeman Road.

The York project would see River Ouse embankments raised and strengthened following warnings that flooding in the city will worsen this century, but the start of work has been delayed due to funding shortages.

Now the YRFDC budget announcement has left Coun Waller pondering why the "if necessary" caveat has been added to Leeman Road's expected cash allocation.

He said: "The need for the Leeman Road scheme has been identified and there's no reason why it shouldn't go ahead other than funding, but projects low down the list of priorities are always going to suffer from any changes in funding.

"Although there needs to be another £2 million in 2009/10 and 2010/11 to get on with the scheme, there is no indication of any money for it after this year.

"I will pressure the agency on this to make sure the funding allocated is spent.

"It's immensely frustrating. I still feel it's worth fighting for and the potential is there for it to happen."

Coun Waller also said he fears the importance of flood defence funding may slip off the Government's radar.

"As time elapses since last year's floods, it can slide down the agenda and the Government becomes interested in other things, like the Olympics," he said.

"I wouldn't want gimmicks to be taking away resources which can be used to defend areas like York."