THE amount of rainfall large tracts of the country has had to endure over the past couple of weeks has been exceptional; and the damage it has caused has been unprecedented, affecting urban and rural situations alike.

But, with climate change here to stay, it is safe to say that the recent precipitation levels could quite easily repeat themselves on a regular basis.

Whether or not government and its agencies should have been better prepared for the current monsoon conditions is a moot point. However, the lesson must be learned and measures put in place immediately to try to mitigate future weather-related damage, whether it be from wind, water or snow.

And whatever plan, or plans, are devised and implemented, they will undoubtedly came at a considerable cost to the public (and private) purse.

Flood defence barriers will, of course, have to be erected in many situations where they would not have been considered necessary even in the recent past.

But there will have to be more, much more! Dredging needs to be re-introduced to our main river systems, as must the clearing of the drains and the small burns which feed in to them.

In essence, we require a Scottish Government-led initiative, whereby a master plan is drawn up which at its very core puts people, their homes, their property and their businesses first.

And if that upsets some of the conservationists and the agencies they seem to have in their pockets, then so be it!

Another aspect ScotGov must consider is the re-introduction of sheep to areas bedevilled by land slip. John Campbell (Letters, page 10) articulates perfectly what those that make a living in the hills have been saying for years: Get the sheep back on to keep the tall grasses in check and the ground compacted - and the chances of landslip will be much reduced, thereby saving an absolute fortune.

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