OUTRAGED councillors are putting pen to paper following news that plans to relieve the flooding problem in Rubery have been scuppered because of lack of cash.

At last Wednesday's meeting of Bromsgrove District Council's policy and resources committee, members heard that a scheme to create balancing pools in the village had to be scrapped.

Worcestershire County Council had made the project part of its plans -- which it passed itself -- to extend the former Gannow Middle School, in Gunner Lane.

Following a fire, it merged with Callowbrook First School to become Holywell Primary School and extra classrooms were needed.

At the meeting, the committee heard the cash-strapped county had scaled down its extension plans for the school and would not be creating the pools which would collect excess water at the bottom of the Waseley Hills and alleviate flooding.

Committee member Cllr Jean Luck (Con, Alvechurch) called for the group to write to the county to express its 'deepest concerns'.

She added: "This is not acceptable and not in the public interest."

Cllr David Hancox (Con, Uffdown and Waseley) told the Advertiser: "I think the county is letting down the people of Rubery who have been suffering from flooding for years.

"The balancing pools would have gone a long way to solving the problems."

Cllr David McGrath (Lab, Beacon) said: "The balancing pools are not being ignored and the county is dealing with them and the development of the schools.

"A large part of Rubery's flooding problems could be dealt with by the district."

The county's head of policy development and education services director, Colin Weeden, said: "The plans for the drainage works and balancing pools are still on target. The school is set to be completed next Autumn and the drainage works in 2002."