Floods minister Emma Hardy outlines steps to deal with growing problem
The government has promised to bolster England’s resilience to flooding through additional financial support to farmers and rural communities.
Speaking on Wednesday 13 November, floods minister Emma Hardy also said the government will refresh its approach to delivering funding to make sure it works for communities.
In response to the significant impact of flooding on farmers, an additional £50 million will be distributed to internal drainage boards (IDBs), Hardy said. These are the public bodies responsible for managing water levels for agricultural and environmental needs in a particular area.
The investment will put IDBs on a firm footing to deliver their vital role in flood and water management for years to come, Hardy added. IDBs that submit successful bids will be able to spend the £50mn 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. The funding will support projects that reduce risks and impacts from flooding to farmers and rural communities across England.
The Environment Agency has begun work with IDBs to distribute the funding from this week.
Further commitments
The government has also committed to going further to protect communities from flooding. Pointing out that it ”inherited an outdated funding formula for allocating money to proposed flood defences”, it said a consultation will be launched in the new year which will include a review of the existing formula to ensure that the challenges facing businesses and rural and coastal communities are adequately taken into account when delivering flood protection.
The government has also confirmed payments to farmers impacted by last year’s severe weather through the Farming Recovery Fund. A total of £60mn will be distributed to eligible farmers, via recovery payments of between £2,895 and £25,000, to around 13,000 farm businesses. Payments are expected to land in farmers’ accounts from 21 November.
Hardy said: ”Farmers are the backbone of the nation, with their hard work helping to put food on the family tables across the country. More intense weather events are destroying homes, businesses and livelihoods across the country, with farming communities facing the heaviest consequences.
”That is why this government is reforming how flood funds are distributed to protect businesses, rural and coastal communities as we invest over £2.4 billion in flood defences across the country.”
