13/01/2006 - The members of the Northumbria Regional Flood Defence Committee (NRFDC) today approved a fund of £1,219,000 to be spent on local flood defence priorities around the region. The money – up from £1,029,000 in 2005/06 – will come from a levy on councils approved by local authority representatives on the committee.

The committee decided to increase the amount of money that can be spent on schemes which will not attract resources from the national flood fund, but which are important to the people of the north east.

The number of projects undertaken in partnership with other regional organisations will be increased and the committee intends the money will attract further funding which will help maximise the benefits to the communities involved.

Chairman of the regional committee Frank Major explained: “The local levy agreed today enables the committee to identify and finance small-scale local projects that will have a meaningful and beneficial impact on vulnerable communities.

“The NRFDC’s local levy plan is regarded as innovative and community-led and is attracting additional funding from external sources. Our region will benefit greatly from the decision made today, and I am most grateful for the support and commitment shown by our constituent local authorities.”

The projects being supported include wider scale initiatives such as the Peatscape Project being managed by the North Pennines Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership. This aims to work with upland farmers and land managers to deliver more sustainable ways of reducing flood risk whilst improving habitat. In addition smaller scale local projects include the Parks at Chester-le-Street, near the River Wear and at risk from flooding. Here the Environment Agency is proposing flood defence works.

Mark Tinnion, the Environment Agency’s regional flood risk manager for the north east, was also delighted at the commitment: “This increase in local funds to help reduce flooding to communities in the north east is very welcome.”

Most of the money for flood defence work is given to the Environment Agency nationally by Government. This money is then allocated according to the national priorities. These priorities are determined by taking into account various factors including the number of properties at risk, the level of risk and the cost of the work.

The committee raised the levy at their meeting at the Environment Agency’s Tyneside House office in Newcastle on Friday 13 January 2006.