In a bid to tackle flooding of the River Severn, the River Severn Partnership which consists of representatives from local authorities and water organisations has gained ministerial support and commitment.
In July 2020, ministers chose the partnership as one of four pilots, and it was allocated £1.5m of funding from the Innovative Resilience Programme. The Partnership will use this money to assess a range of climate change scenarios, and identify the decisions that need to be taken now and in the future, to manage the risk of flooding and coastal change along the length of the River Severn.
I helped secure an additional £41.8m which will enable the Partnership to implement schemes that can safeguard jobs and support local growth. This will focus on an integrated water management north of Shrewsbury (Severn Valley Water Management Scheme), the Tenbury Wells Flood Alleviation Scheme and a carbon offsetting programme, by way of tree planting and improving habitats and green spaces for local people along the river network.
