CASH help for councils dealing with the floods is unlikely to find its way to the Malvern area, even though it has been badly hit twice.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has increased the rate of government support available under the Bellwin Scheme, but the aid only kicks in after councils have spent 0.2 per cent of their budget.

Chief executive Chris Bocock said Malvern Hills District Council would have to spend £18,000 on the flood emergency before it became eligible for government aid.

"We are already undergoing problems with our budget and we are trying to contain costs as far as we can," he said

"We haven't got the final figures for the November floods yet, but we are nowhere near the magical point set by the government."

"It's worse than going away empty-handed, because we are out of pocket.

"It is the worst it has been since the Great Flood of 1947 and we have been very active, with floods along the Teme and the Severn, as well as flash flooding in properties nowhere near the rivers."

The threshold of 0.2 per cent is the amount the government expects prudent authorities to have set aside for emergencies.

The council does not have a specific flood fund, but has emergency reserves of £1 million, with the capital earning interest.

"If this is going to happen year on year, I'll be asking council to make some specific provision for floods," said Mr Bocock.

He said it was easy to calculate some costs, such as kitting out emergency centres, or making journeys to deliver sandbags, but it was difficult to quantify the amount of time spent on flood-related matters.

"If we can get our hands on any government cash we will be as creative as possible in doing it. We feel very badly done by," said Mr Bocock.