Cliffe Funding, January 2006
Dear all,
I'm delighted to report that the Southern regional Flood defence committee agreed to adopt a programme of flood defence work to be funded by the levy on council tax in Kent, Sussex and Hampshire that will allow the proposed flood defences for the Cliffe area to be built between 2007 and 2010. This is great news that only six weeks ago I would not have believed to be possible. It will double the standard of flood protection in the Cliffe area and make it a much easier to obtain property insurance.
I believe reconfirm we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Roger Thomas for making this advance possible. He has shown enormous skill, energy and determination, backed by a brilliant staff work from his deputy finance officer in ESCC, Richard Helmsley, in convincing fellow councillors in West Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and Brighton and Hove to support council tax levies in their constituencies and bring such benefits to Lewes.
The detailed plan approved today, which is an instruction to the Environment Agency,
authorises expenditure of £400,000 in 2006/7, £285,000 in 2007/8 £900,000 in 2008/9 and £800,000 in 2009/10 a grand total of just under £2.4 million. For the money we shall get the repair and improvement of flood walls between the Phoenix causeway and Harvey's and between the downstream end of Harvey's and the end of South Street. This means the probability of the flood wall being overtopped is reduced from once in 50 years to once in 100 years. The new standard of protection would mean that someone lived in Cliffe for seventy years they would have an even chance of being flooded and a 15% chance of suffering twice.
As soon after the case with good news there is some small print:
- The plan approved today is a five-year plan. The committee will have to reconfirm it each year in the light of the prevailing climate for local government finance. If in later years there were to be big increases in council tax councillors from areas that did not benefit so much be reluctant to reconfirm.
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Although the scheme will double standards of protection in the benefits in absolute terms are relatively modest. Even after the scheme is complete a rerun of 2000 would devastate Cliffe. Moreover climate change is likely to increase risk. Figures published by the Agency in 2003 suggest that risk will double in 80 years thus wiping out the benefits of this welcome development. I attach a copy of my flood defence coordinators newsletter of 24th of December to put today’s great news in context.
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The proposed work does nothing for the western part of the town centre, North Street, the Pells, Landport, North Malling and Malling Deanery. There is a lot more campaigning to be done starting with a letterwriting initiative that is being championed by Sue and Angela. It also means that we have to do much more to prepare people for flooding but that's another story!
Despite the small print we should celebrate this significant step forward.
Tom Crossett,
12th January 2006
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