New flood defences will be built around the country, Owen Paterson, the Environment Secretary has announced, but concerns remain over whether enough money has been allocated to protect homes from the increasing risk of extreme weather.
Mr Paterson gave the go ahead for building to start on 93 new flood defences this year, including projects in Exeter and Ipswich that will create thousands of new jobs and allow economic growth by protecting businesses.
In total the Government is to spend £294 million on flood risk management in 2013.
But Labour pointed out that spending is down almost £50m compared to previous years.
There is also growing anxiety over the Government’s failure to make a deal with insurers so that people in flood risk areas are able to insure their homes.
Last year was the second wettest on record and the Met Office have warned that "extreme" rainfall, and the floods it can cause, is getting more frequent, possibly as a result of climate change.The Coalition has boosted the amount of money spent on flooding, following the catastrophic floods earlier this year.
However Mary Creagh, Shadow Environment Minister, said £294m is still far less than the £340m put forward in 2008/09 following the 2007 floods.
"Flooding is the biggest threat the UK faces from climate change, yet the Government will spend less on flood defences next year than Labour invested in 2008. Every £1 invested in flood defences saves £8 later and prevents untold human misery.”
The insurance industry currently has a deal with the Government that it will minimise the risk of flooding to homes, so that insurance for at-risk properties remains viable. But this deal runs out in June, meaning that people in the 200,000 high-risk properties may not be able to get insurance. Nick Starling, director of general insurance at the Association of British Insurers, said flood insurance could only continue to remain widely affordable and available if the Government invests enough in defences and the industry is reassured risk remains low. He also said the Government needs to put in place a “rigorous planning system” to prevent housing on flood plains. “Flooding is the greatest natural threat facing the UK and the risk is rising, so political consensus on how we effectively adapt to it is essential," he said. “Insurers know the traumatic and devastating impact of flooding, through helping their customers recover after a flood.‘Maintenance spend’ at the Environment Agency fell from £108.1M in 2010/11 to £84m in 2011/12 and is set to fall further to £60.7M by 2014/15. The Coalition insist that overall spending during the spending review is slightly more than the last four year period. The Government is now on course to spend more than £2.32 billion in the current spending review period on flood and coastal erosion management, £3.2 million more than was spent over the previous spending review period under Labour.
However the Environment Agency have made it clear that £20m more is needed to retain flood defences. Mr Paterson said that private money from councils and businesses will make up the shortfall. Already this “partnership funding” system has allowed many councils to bring forward enough money to protect businesses and communities. “Our partnership funding approach is a clear success, bringing in £148 million on top of our £2.3 billion investment so that more flood defences can be built. We now expect to protect 165,000 homes and businesses from flooding by 2015, exceeding our previous goal by 20,000," he said. Lord Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency, said partnership funding was allowing money from central Government to go further. “Our priority is to do as much as we can with every pound of funding and the new partnership funding approach is bringing in new money to allow flood defences to go ahead that would have been unaffordable in the past." The Country Land and Business Association, said rural areas where less voters are affected by flooding and councils or businesses cannot match funding are being neglected. "Defra's investment in flood risk management continues to discriminate against rural areas at risk of flooding," a spokesman said. The Local Government Association pointed out that very little match funding is coming from private businesses, meaning ultimately the taxpayer is paying out.
fuente, telegraph
The insurance industry currently has a deal with the Government that it will minimise the risk of flooding to homes, so that insurance for at-risk properties remains viable. But this deal runs out in June, meaning that people in the 200,000 high-risk properties may not be able to get insurance. Nick Starling, director of general insurance at the Association of British Insurers, said flood insurance could only continue to remain widely affordable and available if the Government invests enough in defences and the industry is reassured risk remains low. He also said the Government needs to put in place a “rigorous planning system” to prevent housing on flood plains. “Flooding is the greatest natural threat facing the UK and the risk is rising, so political consensus on how we effectively adapt to it is essential," he said. “Insurers know the traumatic and devastating impact of flooding, through helping their customers recover after a flood.‘Maintenance spend’ at the Environment Agency fell from £108.1M in 2010/11 to £84m in 2011/12 and is set to fall further to £60.7M by 2014/15. The Coalition insist that overall spending during the spending review is slightly more than the last four year period. The Government is now on course to spend more than £2.32 billion in the current spending review period on flood and coastal erosion management, £3.2 million more than was spent over the previous spending review period under Labour.
However the Environment Agency have made it clear that £20m more is needed to retain flood defences. Mr Paterson said that private money from councils and businesses will make up the shortfall. Already this “partnership funding” system has allowed many councils to bring forward enough money to protect businesses and communities. “Our partnership funding approach is a clear success, bringing in £148 million on top of our £2.3 billion investment so that more flood defences can be built. We now expect to protect 165,000 homes and businesses from flooding by 2015, exceeding our previous goal by 20,000," he said. Lord Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency, said partnership funding was allowing money from central Government to go further. “Our priority is to do as much as we can with every pound of funding and the new partnership funding approach is bringing in new money to allow flood defences to go ahead that would have been unaffordable in the past." The Country Land and Business Association, said rural areas where less voters are affected by flooding and councils or businesses cannot match funding are being neglected. "Defra's investment in flood risk management continues to discriminate against rural areas at risk of flooding," a spokesman said. The Local Government Association pointed out that very little match funding is coming from private businesses, meaning ultimately the taxpayer is paying out.
fuente, telegraph
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