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Guardian: Budget: cash for flood defences to be doubled
Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce an increase in spending from £2.6bn to £5.2bn this week
The increased spend will be the centrepiece of chancellor Rishi Sunak’s first budget.
The government is to double spending on flood defences in this week’s budget after recent storms caused havoc across the country and drove thousands from their homes. The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, will announce an increase from £2.6bn to £5.2bn in spending on flood defences between 2015 and 2021. He will tell MPs that the money will give protection to 336,000 homes in England and allow 2,000 new flood and coastal defence schemes to be built. The announcement will be a centre-piece of Sunak’s first budget, which he is determined will focus not only on measures to combat the spread of coronavirus but also on national infrastructure to reduce risk of flooding in England by 11% by 2027.
This follows grave warnings from scientists who have demanded far greater investment and Boris Johnson’s aim to “level up” the country. Ministers said the extra spending would reduce the needed planning for future disasters, and warned that extreme weather would become far more regular. Last month Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis swept across the country bringing rain and wind gusts of up to 97mph and triggering more than 190 flood alerts. More than 500 properties were flooded and about 25,000 homes left without power. A week later Storm Jorge followed, which in some areas caused more than a month’s rain to fall within 24 hours.
Water Briefing: Prime Minister Boris Johnson also announced a new, £200 million fund to pilot innovative approaches to improving flood resilience.
Funding for flood defences in the UK is set to double to £5.2 billion in this week’s Budget.
Speaking on Sky News, new Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the investment would help to build 2,000 new flood and coastal defence schemes and would be used to better protect 336,000 properties in England over the next six years, commenting: “We are ambitious when it comes to investing in our country’s infrastructure and flooding is a part of that.” The funding, which is expected to be targeted in every region and will be available from next April – doubles the current £2.6 billion six year 2015- 2021 flood defence programme.
On a visit to Bewdley in Worcestershire yesterday Prime Minister Boris Johnson also announced a new, £200 million fund to pilot innovative approaches to improving flood resilience.
Bewdley was one of a number of towns across the country severely hit by flooding following the wettest February on record – the town is now in a recovery operation as River Severn levels continue to reduce.
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