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Local people in Somerset will be better able to manage flood risk after the Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss announced 拢1.9 million funding for the Somerset Rivers Authority today enabling it to start work next year.

皇冠体育app Authority will receive 拢2.7 million in total from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Somerset County Council and the Somerset Consortium of Drainage Boards to reduce the flood risk in the region.

As a result, the Somerset Rivers Authority will be established by the end of January next year and will give local people the power to control and manage local flood risk in their area.

In a Memorandum of Understanding, Defra and Somerset County Council have agreed Defra will provide 拢1.9 million, the Council will provide 拢600,000 and the Somerset Consortium of Drainage Boards, along with the county鈥檚 five district councils, will provide 拢200,000 for the first year of funding. A review will be carried out to identify a long-term, local funding solution from 2016/17.

Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss, said:

Last winter鈥檚 floods were unprecedented. We experienced the wettest winter in 200 years, which took its toll on flood prone communities such as Somerset.

We have worked hard to protect Somerset from future flooding and to get those affected last winter back on their feet. 皇冠体育app dredging of the rivers Parrett and Tone is complete and crucial works to raise key roads in the area has begun.

This funding will enable the newly formed Somerset Rivers Authority to make a real difference in its first year.

At a national level, we are spending 拢3.2 billion on flood management and defences over the course of this parliament. That is more than ever before and half a billion pounds more than in the last parliament.

皇冠体育app Somerset Rivers Authority forms part of the 20-year Somerset Action Plan which was developed at the request of the government in response to the exceptional floods last winter.

Councillor John Osman, Chairman of the Flood Action Plan Leaders Implementation Group and Leader of Somerset County Council, said:

This is an historic milestone for the Flood Action Plan.

皇冠体育app creation of the Somerset Rivers Authority is the result of intensive work and close co-operation between partners, with a strong determination on everybody鈥檚 part to make this happen so that we can better protect our county from the impact of flooding.

Following the exceptional flooding in the area last winter, government provided 拢20.5m to Somerset to help get those affected back on their feet and to improve flood resilience in the area. With the majority of Somerset below sea level the land is vulnerable to both tidal and land-based flooding. 皇冠体育app widespread flooding of the Somerset Levels and Moors over the winter of 2014 was just one occurrence in a long record of flood events.

皇冠体育app Authority will focus on enhanced maintenance of river channels and flood banks along the county鈥檚 waterways, including maintaining the 2014 dredge on the Rivers Parrett and Tone.