In its submission to Treasury ahead of next month’s budget statement, the ICE has recommended that capital and maintenance investment in flood risk management should return to pre-2010 levels.
It also wants the government to commit to a longer-term investment programme for flood risk management – beyond the current five-year programme – and to work more closely with local lead flood authorities to target flood spending where it is needed most.
The ICE’s submission follows a recent warning from the Committee on Climate Change that investment in flood defences in this spending period is £500m less than the identified need, risking an extra £3bn in avoidable flood damages in future years. The Committee also raised concerns that pressure on local authority budgets is resulting in more than half of the floods money from government being spent in other areas.
ICE director general Nick Baveystock said: “While government funding for flood risk management rose to £370m in 2015-16 and is protected in real terms to 2020-21, unfortunately this provides neither the level of investment or long term certainty required to improve resilience against flooding. The reductions to the maintenance settlement are also concerning, and as the recent flooding and coastal surges have shown; the flood defences protecting our communities, businesses and the other vital infrastructure networks and services we depend on, must be maintained – regularly and comprehensively.
“The £130m recently pledged by government to help fund emergency repairs and maintenance following the recent events is welcome – however, it does not make up for the cuts made in the 2010 comprehensive spending review.
“This under-spend has been detrimental to communities, business and infrastructure and government has an opportunity at the March budget to address this – demonstrating its commitment to decision making for the longer term and ensuring flood spending is targeted effectively.”
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