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Treasury announces which flood defence projects will share £2.3bn Treasury announces which flood defence projects will share £2.3bn
(35 minutes later)
More than 1,400 flood defence projects are to receive funding to protect 300,000 homes, the Treasury has said.More than 1,400 flood defence projects are to receive funding to protect 300,000 homes, the Treasury has said.
Ministers say the "vital" £2.3bn investment - not made up of new money - will help prevent £30bn of damage. It says the £2.3bn investment - which is not new money - will help prevent £30bn of damage in areas including the Thames and Humber Estuaries.
The government has also outlined spending on other infrastructure such as roads, rail and housing this week ahead of Wednesday's Autumn Statement.
Labour accused the government of "playing catch up on flood defences".
Major projects to be allocated cash include the Thames Estuary, being given £196m, and Humber Estuary, given £80m.Major projects to be allocated cash include the Thames Estuary, being given £196m, and Humber Estuary, given £80m.
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) welcomed the funding but said maintenance of existing defences was being neglected. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) welcomed the funding, but said maintenance of existing defences was being neglected.
Shadow environment secretary Maria Eagle said the government was "playing catch up on flood defences" after Prime Minister David Cameron cut the flood protection budget by over a £100m a year.Shadow environment secretary Maria Eagle said the government was "playing catch up on flood defences" after Prime Minister David Cameron cut the flood protection budget by over a £100m a year.
The CCC - an independent body that advises the UK government - told BBC News that only a quarter of flood defences were being maintained fully. This means the remainder will degrade and need replacing at extra expense.The CCC - an independent body that advises the UK government - told BBC News that only a quarter of flood defences were being maintained fully. This means the remainder will degrade and need replacing at extra expense.
The condition of assets was in decline before the storms of last winter, mirroring the reduction in maintenance spending over the period, it said.The condition of assets was in decline before the storms of last winter, mirroring the reduction in maintenance spending over the period, it said.
The committee also said the Environment Agency now had 800 fewer flood risk management staff than in 2010/11, including in asset management and incident control.The committee also said the Environment Agency now had 800 fewer flood risk management staff than in 2010/11, including in asset management and incident control.
Some of the other projects include Boston in Lincolnshire (£73m), Rossall in Lancashire (£47m), the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme (£57m) and the Tonbridge area (£17m).Some of the other projects include Boston in Lincolnshire (£73m), Rossall in Lancashire (£47m), the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme (£57m) and the Tonbridge area (£17m).
And on top of the £2.3bn, the government will commit to £15.5m on flood defences in Somerset over the next six years benefitting 7,000 properties - including £4.2m on the Somerset Levels and Moors. As part of the £2.3bn, the government will commit to £15.5m on flood defences in Somerset over the next six years benefitting 7,000 properties - including £4.2m on the Somerset Levels and Moors.
This is part of at least £35m committed to Somerset from this year until 2021.This is part of at least £35m committed to Somerset from this year until 2021.
Surrey County Council leader David Hodge said that giving £196m to the Thames Estuary would leave the seven local authorities in the area searching for a further £120m for the flood defence projects needed.Surrey County Council leader David Hodge said that giving £196m to the Thames Estuary would leave the seven local authorities in the area searching for a further £120m for the flood defence projects needed.
He told BBC Radio 5 live his county had suffered especially badly with 1,600 homes flooded and 300 families still out of their homes.He told BBC Radio 5 live his county had suffered especially badly with 1,600 homes flooded and 300 families still out of their homes.
Referring to the sum allocated by the government, he added: "That, I'm afraid to say, will not help us."Referring to the sum allocated by the government, he added: "That, I'm afraid to say, will not help us."
A Treasury spokesman said it was spending £171m on maintenance this year and had restored the Environment Agency budget to the same in cash terms as in 2010/11 (behind inflation).A Treasury spokesman said it was spending £171m on maintenance this year and had restored the Environment Agency budget to the same in cash terms as in 2010/11 (behind inflation).
It was working with the Environment Agency to improve efficiency, the spokesman added.It was working with the Environment Agency to improve efficiency, the spokesman added.
But he stressed that the National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) announcement for capital investment in major defences significantly reduced risk to households in highly vulnerable areas.But he stressed that the National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) announcement for capital investment in major defences significantly reduced risk to households in highly vulnerable areas.
'Dreading the winter''Dreading the winter'
The housing estate where Cathie Wyatt lives in Buckskin, Hampshire, was flooded in February - only a handful of residents have returned and 86 people lost their homes, she told the BBC.The housing estate where Cathie Wyatt lives in Buckskin, Hampshire, was flooded in February - only a handful of residents have returned and 86 people lost their homes, she told the BBC.
"What has been done since is minor maintenance work; sweeping leaves, cleaning gullies, etc," she said. "No major work has been completed to prevent it happening again."What has been done since is minor maintenance work; sweeping leaves, cleaning gullies, etc," she said. "No major work has been completed to prevent it happening again.
"We have no more drainage. The area we have soaks anyway and the properties are built on chalk."We have no more drainage. The area we have soaks anyway and the properties are built on chalk.
"We are all living on our nerves dreading the winter.""We are all living on our nerves dreading the winter."
Danny Alexander, chief secretary to the Treasury, said: "We all saw the destruction and heartache caused by flooding last year and that is why this investment is vital to build Britain's defences for the future.Danny Alexander, chief secretary to the Treasury, said: "We all saw the destruction and heartache caused by flooding last year and that is why this investment is vital to build Britain's defences for the future.
"The projects we are announcing today will protect some of the country's most at-risk locations ensuring that we will be as prepared as possible for future severe weather.""The projects we are announcing today will protect some of the country's most at-risk locations ensuring that we will be as prepared as possible for future severe weather."
Guy Shrubsole, of Friends of the Earth, said the money set aside for flood defences was "certainly not enough to keep pace with climate change in the future".Guy Shrubsole, of Friends of the Earth, said the money set aside for flood defences was "certainly not enough to keep pace with climate change in the future".
He added: "We need to be doing far more to protect households and to prevent climate change in the first place."He added: "We need to be doing far more to protect households and to prevent climate change in the first place."
BBC deputy political editor James Landale said the "entire week of announcements" from the government was intended to "crowd out" what opposition parties wanted to say. The NIP, published ahead of the Autumn Statement, sets out how the government will spend money on major infrastructure projects.
But while setting out the "good news", official figures are expected to show "the deficit is not falling as fast as expected", he added. Other schemes in the NIP, as outlined in a written ministerial statement, include:
'Headline-grabbing' Analysis
The CCC said it was not yet convinced the UK was properly prepared for floods as climate change threatened to make extreme weather worse while 4,000 homes a year were still being built in areas of significant risk. By Roger Harrabin, Environment Analyst
The government's critics will accuse it of finding the cash for headline-grabbing projects while neglecting existing assets. Critics will accuse the government of finding the cash for headline-grabbing projects while neglecting existing assets.
The committee thinks lack of maintenance may have caused some defences to fail in past storms.The committee thinks lack of maintenance may have caused some defences to fail in past storms.
The government appears to be following the logic that it is better to invest in big new projects in high-risk areas while allowing maintenance of some existing defences in low-risk areas to slip behind.The government appears to be following the logic that it is better to invest in big new projects in high-risk areas while allowing maintenance of some existing defences in low-risk areas to slip behind.
Flood defences took a battering in last winter's storms but the Treasury said it expected that 96.4% of the most important defences would be back at target condition by April 2015.Flood defences took a battering in last winter's storms but the Treasury said it expected that 96.4% of the most important defences would be back at target condition by April 2015.
The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management welcomed the extra certainty provided by the government's six-year capital programme. Follow Roger Harrabin on Twitter @rharrabin
But it called on ministers to extend their long-term thinking to maintenance. And it warned that more cash still might be needed to combat surface water flooding if the UK continued to experience the sort of violent downpours which had caused havoc in recent years. BBC deputy political editor James Landale said the "entire week of announcements" from the government was intended to "crowd out" what opposition parties wanted to say.
The NIP, published ahead of the Autumn Statement, sets out how the government will spend money on major infrastructure projects. But while setting out the "good news", official figures are expected to show "the deficit is not falling as fast as expected", he added.
Other schemes in the NIP, as outlined in a written ministerial statement, include: The CCC said it was not yet convinced the UK was properly prepared for floods as climate change threatened to make extreme weather worse while 4,000 homes a year were still being built in areas of significant risk.
And the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management has warned that more cash still might be needed to combat surface water flooding if the UK continued to experience the sort of violent downpours which had caused havoc in recent years.
Were you flooded at the start of the year? What is being done where you are to protect against further floods? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Were you flooded at the start of the year? What is being done where you are to protect against further floods? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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