Record highways funding makes around £50m available for Dorset's roads

Announced at last night’s Full Council meeting (Tuesday 10 February), Dorset Council has approved measures that make up to an additional £5.25m available for Highways to tackle flood impacts and cut the risk of future disruption.

The package includes a £5m capital flood‑resilience fund to target known hotspots and repair storm‑damaged sections, plus £250,000 for a new, dedicated gully cleaning crew to clear roadside gullies that have been inundated by the storms and keep water moving during heavy rain.

As a capital fund, the £5m will begin funding schemes as they are designed, scheduled and delivered, so spending will be phased rather than concentrated in a single year.

This investment will not stop river or groundwater flooding – those are driven by wider catchment and tide conditions – but it will improve highway drainage performance in typical rainfall and help roads recover faster after storms.

The council will continue to work with the Environment Agency on main rivers while it focuses council resources on surface water, groundwater and smaller rivers and streams, reflecting the organisations’ different responsibilities. Subject to Cabinet consideration in March, the council will also seek to join the regional flood and coastal partnership to strengthen cross‑boundary work and access to funding.

We’re opening formal Section 19 flood investigations under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. They will examine recent flooding, confirm who is responsible across agencies, review how they responded, and publish the findings. Because of the scale of recent events, we’ll also run a wider investigation, so residents and businesses see clear accountability and next steps.

Cllr Simon Clifford, Dorset Council's Cabinet Member for Finance & Capital Strategy, said:

“This is practical investment residents will see and feel. The package makes up to an extra £5.25m available to our highways team for urgent repairs and prevention. The £5m flood‑resilience fund is capital, so it will begin funding schemes as they are designed and delivered – getting us to the worst‑hit locations first and strengthening them for future storms.

“Alongside that, a new gully cleaning crew will clear debris from recent storms and step up prevention so heavy rain is less likely to cause disruption. Taken together, this brings total funds available for our highways to just under £50m – a record amount for Dorset.

“We’ll keep working with the Environment Agency on main‑river issues while we focus council resources on surface water and groundwater. Our teams have gone above and beyond in tough conditions – this funding backs them to keep Dorset moving.”

The council will prioritise works that reduce repeated flooding and keep communities connected – such as drainage upgrades, culvert repairs and surface treatments in locations with recurring issues.

This targeted programme will run alongside major safety schemes already in delivery, including works at Dinah’s Hollow near Shaftesbury, and continued coastal protection in Lyme Regis, West Bay and Swanage.

For residents, this means faster recovery of flood‑damaged roads and pavements, and more proactive drainage maintenance to reduce standing water in typical rainfall. Investment will be focused where it makes the biggest difference, based on evidence from recent storms and local reporting.

The highways resilience programme starts immediately, with the new gully crew in place and priority sites scheduled as conditions allow and as water levels fall. We will issue further updates as schemes are confirmed and works get underway.

This announcement sits within Dorset Council’s £482.6 million budget for 2026/27 which was approved last night and protects core services for residents and invests in Dorset’s infrastructure for the long term.