The Scottish Government has yet to decide whether to offer lifeline grants to Cupar flooding victims, almost nine weeks on from Storm Gerrit.
As families continue to count the cost of the December 27 storm, Holyrood says it is still considering the issue of compensation.
Nine households were evacuated into temporary accommodation after their homes were deluged.
And seven have yet to return due to the scale of the damage.
Compensation was announced for people in Angus within six weeks of Storm Babet, with households receiving £1,500 and businesses £3,000.
And North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie says he is becoming increasingly impatient over the lack of action regarding Cupar.
Call for clarity over Cupar flooding compensation
The Scottish Government initially said it would not provide grants for Fife victims and the Brechin funding was a one-off.
However, minister Tom Arthur later said in Parliament the issue was being given “careful consideration”.
Mr Rennie said: “He assured me he wasn’t just flannelling and that the government was considering granting compensation to flood victims in Cupar.
“Grants for the victims of Storm Babet were announced just six weeks later.
“Within seven weeks applications were open.”
People of Cupar ‘deserve better’
He added: “Now, more than nine weeks on from Storm Gerrit, I am increasingly impatient with the government.
“As I said to the minister in January, if he wasn’t going to provide grants he should come to Cupar and explain to residents why not.
“People whose homes and businesses were flooded just days after Christmas are still recovering.
“Frankly, they deserve better than a drawn-out process.”
‘Range of support’ offered to flooding victims
In response, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Ministers recognise the efforts of local recovery partnerships which worked hard to respond to Storm Gerrit.”
They said a range of support is on offer to help communities recover from flooding.
These include the Bellwin Scheme, which compensates local authorities for money spent in the immediate aftermath of an emergency.
However, it does not provide grants to individual households.
Holyrood also provides £42 million a year to councils for flood risk management, with an extra £150m given since 2021.
“Consideration is still being given regarding further central support to the communities affected by Storm Gerrit,” they said.
Conversation