How is the Welsh Government supporting local authorities in employing flood risk management officers?
We have responded to requests from local authorities for sustained levels of revenue investment.
This year we have once again increased the total revenue allocation available to local authorities to £5m, allowing us to maintain the amount each local authority can apply for at £225k. Remaining funds will be allocated on a case-by-case basis.
Local authorities can use these funds to employ flood risk management officers, maintain the substantial network of flood defences and to continue their work on awareness raising and flood investigations.
This represents a significant step-up in revenue funding, which follows a recent call from our Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee for longer term revenue settlements and, will enable a longer-term approach to the maintenance of flood assets, staffing and all other revenue funded work.
The recently published review paper on resources by the Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee, also recognised the resource capacity issues in Wales. I realise this is a complex long-term issue, which is unlikely to be resolved immediately, but I am working with the chair to looking at ways to address the problem.