A SENIOR emergency planning officer has praised Weymouth, Portland and West Dorset’s response to the winter storms.

Grant Armfield, head of emergency planning for West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland Single Shared Partnership, said the ‘plan worked’ He was speaking at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s management committee.

The committee met to review his report on the impact of the severe weather between Decem-ber, 2013 and February, 2014.

More than £2million has been claimed by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council and West Dorset District Council to repair damage caused by the weather. It has asked for aid totalling £2,259,256 from a number of different funds.

The claims do not include costs incurred by private infrastructure companies, or the costs of road network repairs claimed by Dorset County Council.

Mr Armfield said: “The report is a very good read. I was given the task of setting it out as a story.

“I have used as much contemporary information in that report. There may be a further clarification of figures to come through the process.”

Money has been used to help repair Chesil Beach, Preston Beach and other areas.

The council’s biggest claim was for repairs to Chesil Beach, with an estimated figure of £1,080,000 was claimed for.

This was funded by the Emergency Provision of Flood Defence Grant in Aid, administrated by the Environment Agency.

Cllr Mike Goodman said: “I think we have done incredibly well to get so much money back for our sea defences.”

He said he also wanted to pay tribute to South Dorset MP Richard Drax and West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin, who lobbied on behalf of the area. Members acknowledged the joint efforts of partner agencies, volunteers, contractors and officers in managing the response to the severe weather.

Cllr Mike Byatt, chairman of the management committee, said: “It is a significant success story and we are very grateful to all those who took part.”