Braunton is one of several communities across Devon and Cornwall set

to benefit from a series of local flood defence schemes over the coming

year says the Environment Agency.

At a meeting in Exeter on Wednesday the South West Regional Flood

Defence Committee agreed a Local Levy of £546,242 for the coming

financial year – a 10 per cent increase on the level of funding for

2010/11. This compares to £496,584 last year.

The Local Levy is additional funding raised through local County

Councils and Unitary Authorities. The money is important because it

enables the Environment Agency, through the flood defence committee, to

implement locally important schemes that are not eligible for national

funding.

Several communities at risk of flooding are benefiting from the

money which is being used to build flood alleviation schemes and

increase home flood resilience measures. The coming year’s programme

will reflect on improved local resilience and defence  improvements,

including banks and walls to protect properties. 

In 2010/11 Local Levy money is being used to pay for construction works

at Ringmore, Combe Martin, Plympton, Newton Poppleford, Tipton St John,

Polperro and Canworthy Water.  Communities to benefit from future funding include Braunton, Chyandour (Penzance), Kings Ash at Paignton, and Whimple.

Environment Agency workers have started to raise the existing

defences and footbridge at Tipton St John and at Combe Martin designed

a small pumping installation to deal with water getting trapped behind

the flood defences and flooding properties.

‘We are pleased that local authorities can provide this vital money

because it can be used to fund smaller schemes that do not qualify for

national funding and thereby benefit local communities,’ said James

Morrish, chairman of the South West Regional Flood Defence Committee.

‘We are doing everything we can to help our local communities

protect their families, homes and businesses. We can’t prevent flooding

altogether, but we can help people to minimise flood risk or damage

caused by flooding.’