Weymouth could be in line for millions of pounds in grants for flood defences and relief after the town's MP met a Treasury minister to petition for much-needed funding for the town.

South Dorset MP Richard Drax met Treasury Secretary Robert Jenrick to discuss £22 million in direct funding for flood relief in Weymouth, an issue on which Mr Drax and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council have long campaigned.

The meeting came on the heels of the MP's asking, at Treasury Questions in April, for confirmation from Mr Jenrick that the government was considering providing 'desperately needed investment' for 'important' seaside towns like Weymouth.

The sum requested, £22 million, would go to rebuild the harbour walls and improve flood protection for the town.

The leader of the borough council, Cllr Jeff Cant, welcomed the latest development, telling the Echo that 'every time a bit of the harbour wall fell down', the council was forced to shell out several million pounds in repair costs.

"That's straight from the borough's coffers, from the borough's taxpayers - that's money that could be spent on infrastructure in the town," he noted.

Cllr Cant pointed to the Western Relief Road as an example of infrastructure that had been stymied by a lack of funding, and which could be realised in the event of a financial boost to the area.

He expressed hope that the government, seeing the 'ambitious and detailed' plans the borough council had formulated, would be willing to give a boost to the town in the form of a cash injection.

Mr Drax's meeting with Mr Jenrick is the latest in a series of meetings with ministers; last year, he and Cllr Cant met minister Thérèse Coffey from the environment ministry, while earlier this year the pair met Jake Berry, a minister in the local government ministry.

“I am delighted to say that the minister [Mr Jenrick] agreed at our meeting to ask his officials to look into the possibility of getting money from the coastal erosion fund for Weymouth," the Dorset MP said. "This is controlled by the Environment Agency and works on a formula depending on the number of properties at risk of flooding.

“If this is not possible, the minister has said there is potential for a one-off grant from the Treasury,” he said.

Mr Drax noted that with its high population density and position surrounded on three sides by water, Weymouth had a shortage of land for development.

"Weymouth’s future depends upon regeneration, creating new employment, homes and businesses," he said. "In turn, regenerating the town depends upon protecting it from flooding.”