More than £149,000 is set to be pledged to bolster a town’s sea defences where the situation has been described as “critical”.

Councillors on Arun District Council are expected to vote through the cash, which has come from various sources, to improve Pagham’s coastal defences.

Last winter, the town was battered by heavy storms with a number of key defences destroyed or damaged.

Councillor Ashvin Patel, for Pagham and Rose Green ward, said: “It has been needed for some time and I expect it to be voted through. The cabinet appear committed to it.

“I think the plans were in place before last year’s storms, but they showed the money is essential.”

In total, £149,000 is to be pledged towards bolstering the defences.

Some £48,000 is from money left over from last year’s sea defence fund.

A further £70,000 will come from the Environment Agency, with another £31,000 from the Bellwin Scheme.

The money will be used to move part of the beach in what is described as “shingle recycling”. This will protect vulnerable spots better.

Larger rocks will also be transported in from other areas to protect properties on the western end of West Front Road. Council officers, in a message to councillors, described the situation in Pagham as “critical”.

The report continued: “There are no guarantees that damage to property can be avoided, but Arun has committed to continue to respond to the threat and manage and miti- gate the situation as best it possibly can.

“However, while great effort is being made to safeguard both the residents and property, resources are not limitless and there may come a point in the future where future actions become increasingly unaffordable.”

Coun Patel urged other councillors to get behind the proposals, describing the improvements as “extremely important”.

When The Argus visited the town in January, a number of sea defences had crumbled into the water and the beach was closed.

Homeowners told us they feared their homes would be breached by the ferocious waters unless something was done. A decision on the proposal will be made on September 15.

For more details on the defences, visit www.arun.gov.uk.