VITAL flood defence improvements in vulnerable villages around Canterbury is being stalled because of delays by utility services in dealing with works. The complaint comes from Canterbury MP Julian Brazier who says he has written to Transco and Seeboard urging them to speed up their efforts.

He said: "It appears the works on the ford at Patrixbourne is hanging on the two utilities concerned and I have faxed them to express the urgency of this matter and the implications of the delay. The difference between getting the work carried out in the next few days or waiting a few more weeks could mean further homes being ruined plus damage to existing problem properties."

He added: "I have had a series of meetings at Patrixbourne, Littlebourne and other areas and written to both the city council and the Environment Agency in an effort to hasten the work.

"I have been impressed with the plans for the villages but they must be completed soon. Some have not even been started and the weather has been turning against us with groundwater levels already higher than normal."

The Environment Agency says a lot of work has been done across the district but a spokesman said people's expectations of what could be achieved in such a short space of time should not be raised. Team leader for flood defences in south east Kent, Bill Symons said: "We have much better communications and early warning systems in place and have being doing little bits of work all over the place.

"For example, we have been de-silting the Great Stour and helping clear other water courses. But it has to be remembered that last year's rainfall was exceptional. Major defence schemes require carefully prepared bids with cost effective analysis. They can only be achieved over the long term."

But Mr Symons did promise that work on a vital relief river-by pass drainage ditch would start soon at Littlebourne.

Tony Austin, chairman of the Nailbourne and Little Stour River Management Group said: "There is a lot of disquiet about the time it is taking for some of these schemes, like Black Robin bridge at Kingston, and the cost of some of this work which is having to be borne between the parish council, the local authority and county council."

Neither Seeboard nor Transco were available for comment.