Talks have been held pressing for Kent’s flood defences to remain at the top of the agenda – but it is still likely to take many years to see work completed.

The issue has hit the headlines as Storm Desmond wreaked havoc across the north of England at the weekend leaving hundreds of families homeless due to flooding.

Tragedy struck when the body of an elderly man was found in the River Kent, near Kendal in Cumbria.

On Christmas Day 2013 Maidstone, Yalding and Tonbridge, plus several villages along the River Medway, found themselves submerged.

Maidstone and the Weald MP Helen Grant reassured people plans to stop the same happening again remain a key issue for the government.

She has worked closely with the Environment Agency to secure £36m of funding for two major projects, which Chancellor George Osborne backed in his Autumn Statement.

One is for an £11 million upgrade to the Leigh Barrier, which holds back high river levels near Tonbridge. The second is for a £25 million flood water storage area to be built on the river Beult.

Despite the Chancellor’s backing, a year ago it was revealed while the government had pledged £17m for the schemes, the matching £17m from Kent County Council wouldn’t be available for 15 years.

Council leader Paul Carter said money would need to be found from council and business tax rises, plus grants, sparking an outcry. This week a KCC spokesman confirmed the situation is still the same.

Last Friday Mrs Grant met newly appointed chief executive of the Environment Agency, Sir James Bevan, to talk over the urgency of the situation.

Sir James, who visited Yalding last week, said: “We have a long list of schemes we need to get done over the next five to six years. We need to make sure we do these as soon as possible.”

Mrs Grant, whose home town of Carlisle has been flooded by Storm Desmond, said: “After the floods two years ago I established a Flood Forum to pull together a plan to better manage future flood threats.

“Public flood risk meetings have been held and personal flood plan leaflets distributed.

“Local flood wardens have been appointed and trained, flood warning systems are in place and sandbag sites have been earmarked.”