Cornwall must expect and prepare for more flooding in the future – and a new strategy document approved by councillors this week seeks to set out ways of managing the risks.

Looe councillor Edwina Hannaford, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Heritage and Planning, told members of Cornwall Council's Cabinet on Wednesday that the county faces risks from climate change and changing weather patterns.

'By publishing this local strategy we hope to increase public awareness of the issues and strengthen our case when we seek financial assistance from the Environment Agency and Government,' she said.

In her introduction to the strategy document, she explains: 'Effective multi-agency and community flood plans, including vulnerable caravan and campsite plans, are an essential part of this preparation.

'With all this we also have to recognise that there are future challenges of funding for flood defence projects. These challenges call for a greater emphasis on partnership and alternative funding mechanisms as well as for building resilience within communities.

'These communities may be fragile but we have recently seen some fantastic examples of community spirit as people work together to make their neighbourhoods more resilient.

'We need to seek interventions that provide the best returns. This may involve alternative approaches to just building more defences, such as allocating space for floodwater and working with the natural environment to slow and store water.'