Defra plans shake-up of flood defence funding

Funds to protect farm communities

Defra plans to review the way it funds flood defences – saying it wants to ensure that farms, rural businesses and local communities are properly protected.

It comes after the government unveiled an extra £50m for internal drainage boards (IDBs) – the public bodies responsible for managing water levels for agriculture and the environmentin low-lying areas.

Defra says the investment will put drainage boards on a firm footing to deliver their vital role in flood and water management. IDBs that submit successful bids will be able to spend the £50m on projects over the next two years.

This will benefit projects that will improve, repair or replace IDB assets – including flood barriers, embankments and maintenance of watercourses. Defra says the funding will support projects which reduce the risk of flooding and its impact.

Defra minister Emma Hardy said the extra funding would benefit farmers and rural communities – and would be accompanied by a government consultation on a new strategic vision for floods investment.

The funding formula for allocating money to proposed flood defences would be simplified to new flood schemes could be delivered more quickly – including innovative approaches such as nature-based schemes and sustainable drainage.

Consultation

A government consultation this year will include a review of the existing formula to ensure the challenges facing businesses and rural and coastal communities are properly accounted for when delivering flood protection, said Ms Hardy.

More intense weather events were destroying homes, businesses and livelihoods across the country – with farming communities facing the heaviest consequences, she warned.

“That is why this government is reforming how flood funds are distributed to protect businesses, rural and coastal communities as we invest over £2.4bn in flood defences across the country.”

A new Floods Resilience Taskforce met for the first time last autumn – bringing together central and local government representatives, the NFU and others to discuss ways to speed up and co-ordinate flooding preparation and resilience.

Association of Drainage Authorities chief executive Innes Thomson said the additional funding would “go a long way” to ease the pressure on internal drainage boards facing the significant cost burden from winter storms.”

Think ‘outside reservoir box’

Farmers are being encouraged to join forces and find new ways of securing enough water for agriculture.

Although increased reservoir storage is likely to feature prominently, the Environment Agency is encouraging groups of farmers to think “outside of the reservoir box” and look for more innovative solutions.

Water Resources East is being funded by the agency to provide technical advice and input to consultants and fam clusters. It follows an open application process for groups of farmers to work in clusters to improve water resilience.

Potential new options include new water sharing arrangements, water rights trading, increased utilisation of high flow abstraction, floodplain storage and collaborative working with Internal Drainage Boards.

Grants are potentially available from Defra to meet 40% of the construction costs of options under this process. Options will likely need planning approval and Environment Agency consent if they require new abstraction licences.

Other developments include the formal incorporation of Water for Food as a national voice for agricultural water needs – and an opportunity to grow a network of water abstractor groups (WAGs) between Lincolnshire and Essex.