A PLANNING scrutiny group has raised the alarm regarding "incomplete" data about the true toll of flooding in Addingham last winter.

Figures obtained from Bradford Council under the Freedom of Information Act show 36 homes and nine commercial properties were flooded in the village in winter 2015.

But Addingham Planning Scrutiny Group (APSG) claims the figures include only a fraction of actual incidents, as many more were not reported to the local authority.

The group, which requested Risk Management Authority information about the locations, causes, extent, severity and frequency of flooding incidents in the village, described the data as "troublingly incomplete".

"After six months, it is unacceptable that there is such an incomplete picture of all occurrences," said Peter Wilkinson, of APSG.

"Wharfedale residents, businesses, motorists and property owners have a vividly different recollection of what happened. Roads, gardens, fields, open spaces and premises were afflicted with flooding from rivers, watercourses, surface water, groundwater and, worryingly, overloaded sewers.

"We understand that substantial quantities of untreated sewage were discharged from combined overflows into the River Wharfe. It is a serious concern to us that the Flood Risk Management Authority, Bradford Council, appears to have no systems to collect, assemble analyse and report on the issues."

The group fears future emergency measures and planning will be inadequate if the responsible authorities do not have a proper understanding, sound information and professional analysis of all the flooding incidents from all sources in all places affected.

Current flood risk and the likely impact of building more houses in the valley were called into question during hearings regarding the Bradford District's Local Plan Core Stragegy, which were held by a Government planning inspector last month.

Mr Willkinson added: "We take some comfort from the knowledge that Wharfedale councillors have directed the corporate overview and scrutiny committee's attention towards flood emergency planning performance. It seems inevitable that flood data and understanding, and the council's response to its duties under the National Planning Policy Framework and the 2010 Act, will be subject to the same scrutiny."