MORE than 10% of homes flooded in the UK last summer were in Calderdale, it has been revealed.

About 8,000 households across Britain were affected by flooding in 2012 – 900 of them in Calderdale – which represented 11% of the national total.

An additional 250 businesses were also affected in borough.

The main cause of flooding was excessive rainfall, when more than a month’s worth of rain fell in 24 hours, overwhelming sewers and drains.

Surface water also ran into the canal, causing it to flood, and hillside water run-off caused significant damage to drains, roads, footpaths and properties.

The clean-up operation cost £3m, with the council footing £1.5m of the bill.

The council’s Cabinet is now considering its flood recovery programme.

Although the River Calder flood was described as a “one in 75 year event” councillors will be told at a meeting on Monday that extensive future investment is required to improve flood defences in the area.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Clr Barry Collins, Cabinet member for the Economy and Environment, said: “Phase two of the flood recovery work is about to start and will last a year.

“The resulting flood investment plan will be highly detailed and will cover the work required for the next eight to 10 years.

“During the next year we aim to increase community flood resilience, continue to gather and share flood evidence and establish the causes of local flooding, deliver short-term investments from the council, Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and Canal and River Trust and lobby for additional resources to deliver the full flood investment plan.”

Phase one was the immediate, emergency response. Phase three, starting next April, will focus on investment and implementing future plans.

After last year’s flooding, Calderdale Council gave £250,000 from the Economic Fighting Fund to provide immediate support to affected businesses and provided business rates relief to 30 businesses for three months.

The authority also put £85,000 into the Valley of Lights spectacular, which attracted 10,000 people to flood-hit communities to support businesses.

The Cabinet will consider accepting a £310,000 government grant at Monday’s meeting at Halifax Town Hall at 6pm. With match funding it will bring the cash available for flood relief work to £525,000.