£586,00 of Government funding to help householders in Mid Cornwall protect their homes against future flooding incidents

Last updated: 12/05/2011 Add to My Bookmarks Subscribe

A bid by Cornwall Council for funding to help people affected by the flooding which devastated parts of Mid Cornwall last November to protect their homes against future incidents has been awarded £586,000 by the Environment Agency.

A review of the flooding carried out by the Environment Agency and Cornwall Council suggested that the affected communities were unlikely to qualify for community level flood defence schemes which would cost millions of pounds. 

Earlier this year the Environment Agency announced that it was making £2 million available nationally to help householders in locations such as Mid Cornwall to make their properties more resistant to flooding through measures such as airbrick covers, floodgates and non return valves to stop floodwater entering homes through pipes.  Under the Property Level Flood Protection grant scheme eligible households can receive up to £3,750 towards the costs of installing such measures plus a £500 survey fee.

All local authorities were invited to apply for the funding on behalf of communities and individuals at risk and officers from Cornwall Council worked closely with local Environment Agency staff to compile bids for many of the communities affected by the flooding in November.

The Council, which submitted bids on behalf of homes in 16 sites, including St Blazey, Lostwithiel, Mevagissey, St Austell, Tregrehan and Par Moor, Lerryn, Polmassick, Portholland, Holmbush, Portloe, Tregony, Coverack, Charlestown, Millpool, Pentewan and Tregorrick, has now been told that it will receive £586,000 – 25% of the total amount available.

News of the funding has been welcomed by Alec Robertson, the Leader of Cornwall Council, who wrote a letter to the Environment Agency supporting the bid.  Letters of support were also sent by Julian German, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Waste Protection, Climate Change and Historic Environment, and by local Cornwall Councillors.   

Support for the bids also came from local councillors attending the recent Community Flood Recovery Group meetings which covered areas including Mevagissey, Pentewan, Polmassick, Par Moor, St Blazey and Lostwithiel.

Unfortunately, although Cornwall has actually received 25% of the total funding, not all the bids have been successful.

“As there were only limited funds available the Environment Agency prioritised the bids according to a strict criteria, including flood risk, flooding history, the level of community engagement and whether a community flood plan or warden system would be in operation “ said David Owens, Assistant Head of Service for Environment and Waste.  

“Although we have received funding to support 137 properties in five areas, including Lostwithiel, St Blazey, Mevagssiey, Tregrehan and Par Moor and Polmassick, there are a number of other sites which have not been allocated funding”.

“We appreciate that these householders will be disappointed and will be talking to the Environment Agency about what action can be taken in these areas over the next few weeks.“

“I am delighted that we have been successful in winning a quarter of the national funding to help residents in Cornwall” said Council Leader Alec Robertson.  “While it is disappointing that not all our applications were successful I appreciate that there was only limited funding available. 

“We will now be working with the Environment Agency to come up with ways to help the people in these areas.  One of the ideas being considered is setting up a fund with the Agency and we will be meeting to discuss this in the next few weeks”.

“The Environment Agency is working hard across the South West to reduce the risk of flooding, provide better protection and give early warnings.  These grants will enable more people in more communities to protect their homes and possessions,’ said the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Risk Manager Geoff Boyd.

‘Individuals and businesses can help themselves by making their properties more resistant to flooding using products like the ones Local Authorities will be purchasing with the grant money announced today.  The relatively small cost of these products could save the many thousands of pounds it costs in repairs and lost possessions in the event of a flood.’

Each affected property will need to be surveyed to asses what measures are needed to improve its resilience to flooding and the costs of the works agreed.  In some cases “top-up” funding may be needed which might involve a contribution from the owner of the property before the full grant can be allocated.

The Council and the Environment Agency are also finalising plans to stage a Flood Fair in June to help raise awareness of the measures people can take to protect their homes against flooding.  This will include examples of equipment which can be installed in individual homes.  The dates of the fairs have provisionally been set for June 22 and 23 June and full details of the venues will be publicised as soon as they have been confirmed.  

Story posted 12 May 2011