£1.2m to help councils and NRW prepare for winter flood risk

14 Sep 2017 03:45 PM

The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths has announced £880,000 of funding available for Local Authorities and £300,000 for Natural Resources Wales (NRW) for flood defences inspection and maintenance work prior to winter.

Local Authorities are responsible for managing the risk of flooding from streams and surface water as well as the management of their own coastal protection.  This includes the regular inspection and maintenance of these. All 22 local authorities have been offered the opportunity to apply for up to £40,000 each to carry out the following work:

• Essential maintenance works to flood risk management assets, which reduce risk of flooding to properties, to ensure they remain resilient ahead of winter,
• Mapping and collation of asset data,
• Asset surveying to establish location, condition, cost of repairs, lifespan of assets, etc.

Natural Resources Wales are responsible for managing assets which reduce the risk of flooding from main rivers and the sea. The £300,000 will enable NRW to carry out the following additional maintenance work;

• management of vegetation and trees on flood embankments,
• channel management works (removal of, silt and weed),
• clearing obstructions from rivers and trash screens,
• Purchase additional kit and tools to further assist maintenance and resilience work,
• Carry out additional contingency exercises to ensure resilience and preparedness for any severe weather incidents.

The Cabinet Secretary said:

“I am pleased to be able to provide this vital funding to support asset inspection and maintenance of our flood defences prior to winter. Asset inspection and maintenance is a vital part of the work Risk Management Authorities carry out to ensure our assets continue to function effectively in severe weather conditions. This funding is provided to help local authorities and Natural Resources Wales carry out this important work, reducing the risk of flooding to our communities.”

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Flooding and coastal erosion