NEWS RELEASE
26 August 2021
Flood fund spending to be agreed
Norfolk’s Cabinet will consider the allocation of the council’s £1.5m Flood Reserve Fund to support urgent works, repairs and to enable recommendations from flood investigation reports.
The Reserve Fund was set up in the annual budget for 2021/22 agreed by the County Council in their budget meeting in February.
The Cabinet meeting, due to be held 6 September, will discuss the proposed allocation of the funding, including £695k for additional highway and ditch maintenance and £365k for drainage asset improvements.
This funding will be used for work on the 285,864 metres of drainage grips and 31,037 metres of kerb drains on Norfolk’s highways, as well as operations to clear some of the county’s 145,305 gullies that help drain rain water.
Also included in the allocation are the costs of setting up and maintaining the single phone number set up by the Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance (NSFA) to give Norfolk residents one point of contact to report flooding. To report flooding anywhere in the county simply call 0344 800 8013.
Cllr Andrew Proctor, Leader of Norfolk County Council, said: “Flooding is a big risk here in Norfolk, and anyone who has been flooded out of their home can tell you about the huge and devastating impact it can have on their lives. It’s vital that we have a well-funded approach by all our partners in The Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance to mitigating the risk of flooding, sharing information and carrying out work to identify the best ways we can prevent flooding and to reduce its impact on our communities.
“I’m proud to say our Members have already agreed to establish the £1.5 million Flood Reserve Fund, and now Cabinet will be discussing the allocation of the funds, ensuring the important work being done across the county receives the support it needs.”
Norfolk’s Cabinet will also be asked to endorse the Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance Strategy and action plan, which includes a clear definition of the vision, objectives and principles of the Norfolk-wide partnership, as well as laying out the current action plan of the Alliance. This plan includes previously announced work on finding and costing solutions for 16 flood sites across the county, which is currently ongoing.
The NSFA Board will meet in September to review whether all partners have endorsed the Strategy. Norfolk County Council will make a decision on their endorsement at the Cabinet Meeting of 6 September.
Cabinet will discuss the report when it meets at 10am on Monday, 6th September. You can watch the meeting, live or afterwards and read the reports, at https://norfolkcc.cmis.uk.com/norfolkcc/CalendarofMeetings/tabid/128/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/496/Meeting/1794/Committee/169/SelectedTab/Documents/Default.aspx
ENDS
The Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance is a new taskforce, brought together in early 2021, to work so that Norfolk communities and infrastructure are safer and more resilient to the risks of inland and coastal flooding. The Alliance includes, among others, the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, the Association of Drainage Authorities, the Water Management Alliance, Water Resources East, the Norfolk Resilience Forum, the Broads Authority and Norfolk’s County, Borough, City, District and Parish Councils.
For further information on the 16 flood sites previously identified by the NSFA, see https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/news/2021/06/a-new-single-point-of-contact-for-flooding-in-norfolk-has-been-launched
For political comment
For details of cabinet members, committee chairs and agendas, please see: www.norfolk.gov.uk/cabinetandchairs
Group leaders’ and councillors’ contact details are available at: www.norfolk.gov.uk/countycouncillors
For further information please contact:
Communications Team at Norfolk County Council
Tel: 01603 228888
Email: [email protected]
