Plans unveiled on how £2M will be invested in flood-hit parts of Leicestershire
Plans have been finalised on how millions of pounds will be spent on making Leicestershire’s homes and businesses more resilient to flooding.
The county council’s Reform UK-led administration decided earlier this year to divert £2M which had been earmarked by the previous Conservative-run authority for reducing carbon emissions as part of achieving a net-zero target by 2050.
Over the summer, work has taken place to decide how the money will be best used, with more than half of the cash being invested in stepping up maintaining drains across the county.
This includes a new schedule to maintain culverts, ramping up a trial to empty lower priority gullies more often and mapping underground drains which will help to plan maintenance and investigations.
With flood events on the rise, both nationally and in Leicestershire, nearly half-a-million pounds will be put towards working with communities to help them adapt.
Sandbag alternatives to help homes during flooding will be given to high-risk areas through town and parish councils, flood wardens and during site visits by the county council’s flood team.
Money will also be made available for communities to apply for grants for parish and town councils to undertake small-scale but effective projects that help to reduce the risk of flooding in local areas.
Councillor Adam Tilbury, cabinet member for flooding, said: “This is a big step forward and we’re taking action on flooding.
"We’ve worked hard to identify the areas we need to focus on, and what communities want from us.
“Being more proactive on maintenance, having equipment we can give to high-risk areas to prepare for flooding and giving parishes the chance to undertake their own work through grants is the best use of this money.
“I’ve been all around the county talking to people about flooding over the last few months.
"I know it’s devastating, so we need to do everything we can to minimise the risk and build community resilience where possible.”
Cabinet members are expected to give the green light to the plans when they meet on October 28.
The additional £2M of funding would take the county council’s investment in flooding to more than £17M by 2029.