Internal Drainage Board Flood Defence Funding for 2007-08
From the Minister of State for Climate Change & Environment
Ian Pearson MP
20 December 2006
| To: | Henry Cator Chairman Association of Drainage Authorities |
Dear Henry
I am writing to confirm the Department’s decisions on the allocation of flood and coastal defence funding for Internal Drainage Boards in 2007-08 and arrangements for the CSR07 period.
Analysis of the Medium Term Plans from Operating Authorities shows an overall level of commitment in 2007-08 such that the amount uncommitted from the ‘traditional shared pot’ is only £9 million. I do not propose to set a Priority Score for 2007-08 or subsequent years as this amount is too small for such an approach to give optimal results and because I do not wish to prejudice the introduction of new Outcome Measures on which we are also launching a consultation this week. I have decided therefore to fund SMPs, strategy plans, coastal monitoring and other essential studies at a cost of £2.1 million in 2007-08 to allow strategic planning for the investment programme to be strengthened. You might like to know that the committed expenditure includes the scheme at Ross-on-Wye which could not be funded this year and that I also intend to allow the scheme at Weston-Super-Mare to start for the following reasons:-
- It reduces the risk of sea flooding to over 3,800 properties.
- It is a well developed scheme which can proceed quickly.
- It demonstrates a joined up approach from government by allowing the Council to make use of regeneration funds which might otherwise be lost.
However we would want to cap the spend on the project to £4 million in 2007/08. This would leave £2.7 million of our budget unallocated. This will be held in reserve and could be used to fund any emergency works or variations in costs of approved schemes which come along next year or other government flood and coastal erosion risk management priorities. This decision builds on last years approach and delivers our top priorities for 2007-08. The IDB share of the ‘traditional capital pot’ in 2007-08 will be £9.8 million.
As you know we have been working with the Environment Agency to develop a suite of Outcome Measures for flood and coastal erosion risk management and the Department is undertaking a formal consultation on these along with proposals for a prioritisation process to be used in determining allocations for the CSR07 period.
Officials will be notifying Clerks of IDBs of their approved projects which have been entered on the Department’s forward capital programme.
I recognise that some IDBs might be disappointed at the level of spending that can be devoted to new IDB projects in 2007-08. However funding for flood and coastal erosion risk management remains some 30% greater in real terms than it was in 1997 and we now have a fully committed, major programme of work planned for next year and beyond, including that which is managed by the Environment Agency, for the benefit of communities across the country.
| [signed] | |
| Ian Pearson |
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modified: 22 December 2006
Page published: 22 December 2006