Reform UK’s proposal to cut funding from the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) has raised serious concerns about the potential for devastating flooding.
Reform UK’s proposal to cut funding from the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) has raised serious concerns about the potential for devastating flooding, reminiscent of the disasters in 2014. Senior councillors at Somerset Councillor warn that these plans could lead to flooding “as bad as 2014” due to the misinformation being spread regarding funding allocations and the SRA’s effectiveness.
Councillor Bente Height, who leads the Reform UK group on Somerset Council, called for withdrawing financial support for the SRA during a council meeting in December, claiming that the authority holds around £30 million in unused funds. However, this claim misrepresents the SRA’s budget and contribution to flood prevention efforts, as Council Deputy Leader Liz Leyshon clarified that only 0.8% of a Band D property’s council tax—approximately £14.65—goes to the SRA. Councillor Height claimed it was 5%, which is not true.
Saying that 5% of council tax is allocated to the SRA was wrong.
Since its establishment in 2015, the SRA has collaborated with the Environment Agency on vital flood prevention initiatives, including the dredging of the River Parrett and implementing water management projects on farmland. The SRA currently operates with a budget of about £2.9 million annually, with a significant portion (around 80%) of its funds actively supporting ongoing projects.
Reform UK’s lack of understanding regarding Somerset’s flooding issues is evident. Cutting support for the SRA could drastically impact local communities, increasing the likelihood of severe flooding, halting essential maintenance would exacerbate flooding risks due to climate change, with potentially devastating consequences for Somerset residents.
The SRA is set to finalise its annual budget in March, following Somerset Council’s budget on February 25. It’s crucial that accurate information prevails in discussions about flood management to protect our communities from future disasters.
Read more about Somerset Rivers Authority work here.
Many thanks, Cllr Sully, for a clear clarification, following Cllr Height’s ill-informed suggestion that the SRA should be unfunded. Given today’s environmental challenges, provoked by climate change exacerbated by human activity, our county river authority is doing an effective job, within the constraints of a budget based on a relatively small proportion of Council Tax. A political party that treats Net Zero targets with contempt, denying or discounting anthropogenic global warming, should not be trusted with stewardship of rivers and our natural environment.
Quite, agree with you Ian.