logoSave our Selsey

Campaign for Coastal Defence

Feb. 2011: Selsey Life 

Government Consultation on Coast Defence Funding

SOS - February 2011

As reported last month, 2011 has kicked off with a government consultation on who should pay for coast defences in the future. This is likely to mean us.

 In a last “hurrah” under the old funding system - after years of cajoling by SOS and others - government paid nearly £2m for Selsey’s most recent coast defence works (ending with the current ones at West beach). As far as this goes it’s marvellous - providing a major patch-up which delays the need for another big tranche of work for 10yrs.

 However, it was made clear that funding for those future works was “unlikely”, and in the breathing space we’d be advised  to either find new sources of money - or sort out what’s called an “exit strategy” (in simple terms, that means tell people to move away, and let the sea in).

 It’s not that we have 10yrs grace, either. Once the current works end, the newly beefed-up repairs will still need maintenance (or they won’t last 10yrs). This is expected to cost £1m over the next 10 years...and no-one knows where this money will come from.

 So, back to the government consultation. In his introduction the minister says “there will always be more projects worth doing than Government can afford – whatever the state of the economy”. Currently £630m per year of taxpayers’ money is allocated to English flood and coast defence. Local authorities bid for this, sending in plans for proposed coast defence schemes (which in itself is hugely expensive – plans for a modest scheme can easily cost £50,000-£100,000 to produce).

  The “best” schemes get funded, the rest get nothing (not even a refund of the money they’ve spent on the plans). The “all or nothing” approach means there is a vast and growing backlog of schemes (“totalling hundreds of millions of pounds”) that will probably never get any funding, despite being worthy projects and despite having cost a small fortune to draw up.

 The Government suggests switching to a new system in which all schemes would potentially get some government funding, so long as the balance of the cost was made up from “other sources” (e.g. local people and businesses). If a community couldn’t raise the balance, the Government’s money would go to others which could. In theory this might be fair (rewarding local effort), or it might not (what happens to poor communities?).

 The amount of potential funding has been published as a tariff in the consultation papers. For example, on an eroding shore if a defence protects 1 home for 50 years, the government would pay £5,000 towards the defence (i.e. £100,000 if 20 homes were protected, etc).

 The figures are not generous, in relation to the cost of doing coast defence works (£100,000 would only pay for a 19m long sea wall!). Remember, the balance of the money might have to come from us. We are continuing to study the consultation and, with other local groups, will respond to it by the 16th February deadline. To take part in the consultation go to http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/flood-coastal-erosion/index.htm).