District councils in low-lying areas of England are struggling to cope with the rising costs of preventing major floods caused by extreme weather and excessive rainfall. Some districts in the east of the country are now spending up to a fifth of their annual net budget on drainage levies to fund pumping stations used to protect communities from flooding. The average 30% increase in costs over the past two years, caused by increased rainfall and rising energy bills, is financially unsustainable for many councils.
Councils in areas such as Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire have been hit hard by severe storms, leading to catastrophic flooding that has damaged thousands of homes and businesses. The situation has been exacerbated by aging pumping stations running at full capacity and facing massive electricity costs, with some bills increasing by 500%. Some pumping stations, which traditionally operated for three months, are now running for seven months due to excessive rainfall.
The costs of pumping stations and watercourse maintenance have largely been covered by local council tax payers, but councils are struggling to meet the growing demands along with rising energy costs. Many councils are now calling on central government to share the £50 million annual cost of flood prevention efforts.
The District Councils’ Network chair, Sam Chapman-Allen, emphasizes the importance of properly funding flood prevention to maintain defenses and avoid catastrophic flooding. A Flood Resilience Taskforce will be launched to enhance the delivery of flood defenses, drainage systems, and natural flood management schemes. The government also aims to build more high-quality, sustainable homes to increase climate resilience and promote nature recovery.
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