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Campaign for Coastal Defence

 

Dec. 2010: Selsey Life – Funding - Exploring Alternatives

Last month’s update said that “we as a community need to accept that exploring for alternative funding mechanisms has become essential”. You now don’t have to look far to see what this might entail.

 At West Wittering, the west part of the village is protected from the sea by a raised earth bank, with a concrete surfacing. Along the top is a popular footpath. On very high spring tides the sea can reach the top of this bank, and indeed has actually come spilling over, flooding the low-lying land behind.

 The Environment Agency calculates that this “overtopping” will increase, and that the bank itself will not last more than 15-20 years without significant improvements & repair, costing £1.4m. It would give immediate protection to 55 homes, and (because of sea level rise) eventually protect 170. In addition it would protect the local sewage pumping station – which if knocked out would lead to the sorts of sewage problems we have at Selsey, only much worse and more widespread (so it wouldn’t only be the flooded area which was affected).

However, nobody has to maintain or rebuild coast defences. The authorities have “powers” to do so, but no obligation and – more to the point – they simply don’t have the funding.  In the South of England about £80m per year is available for flood defence works, but this is a fraction of the total spending needed. The available money has to be apportioned to the “highest priority” schemes, which are determined through a fiendishly complicated points system.

 The West Wittering scheme doesn’t achieve enough points, so in practise it wouldn’t get government funding (which is the position future works at Selsey would almost certainly face). However, if the West Wittering community can contribute £500,000 towards the works, then it’s been told the government might pay the rest. The money has to be raised within 6 weeks, in order to get a reasonable chance of tapping into this year’s national flood defence budget.  

A public meeting was held at West Wittering on 6th November. It was “standing room only”. The organisers – all volunteers - are doing a great job. Within a couple of weeks they have got pledges of some £400,000 from a local charity and business, dependent upon the residents providing the remaining £100,000. The Environment Agency is working closely with them – it would dearly like the scheme to go ahead but knows that the community contribution is the key to having a reasonable chance of getting the scheme funded.

 We wish the “West Wittering Flood Action Group” every success. Could we at Selsey raise £500,000 in just 6 weeks, from a public whip around? I leave you to debate that! Meanwhile, the point is that in future, government will want evidence of serious fundraising efforts by small communities like ours that want expensive coast defences, before it considers helping us. That’s something we in Selsey must work on, in the limited breathing space given by the current & recent repairs to the town’s defences. And, while we’re at it, here’s to a Happy Xmas & a prosperous New Year!