Documents show that the Chair of the Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) warned about the potential impact of the region’s revenue funding gap just weeks before the floods this Christmas.

Minutes of the Yorkshire RFCC meeting on 22 October show that the Chair - Professor Colin Mellors - warned that funding cuts from central government would mean tough choices for the region. In his report to the Committee he said “with ever tighter budgets, it is clear that there will need to be even firmer prioritisation, especially in relation to maintenance activity.”

In particular, he warned that the Committee would “most likely be asked in the New Year to consider sites where maintenance might be formally discontinued.” In other words key projects in the affected areas would need to be scrapped because of a lack of funding.

The revenue funding gap in the region has been driven by central government cuts to local government funding as well as Defra’s own budget.

Commenting, Jon Trickett MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government said:

“These documents show the devastating impact the Tory Government’s cuts are having on the region.

"The Tories’ failure to adequately fund our flood defences mean key projects are being put at risk.

"Instead of posing for the cameras it’s time David Cameron got a grip and gave the region the support it needs.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The minutes of the meeting in October state:

 2.9 Effectiveness Initiative

With ever tightening budgets, it is clear that there will need to be even firmer prioritisation, especially in relation to maintenance activity and it is likely that the Asset Maintenance Protocol (agreed by RFCCs in 2011) means that we will be asked in the New Year to consider sites where maintenance might be formally discontinued. Some RFCCs have already started to consider and implement such possibilities and it is obviously important that such difficult decisions are based both on proper risk assessments and reflect local choices. It is important that the region itself makes such choices.

Yorkshire RFCC Subject: Chair’s Update Report, 22nd October 2015 Paper No: YRFCC/148

 2. The agenda and minutes for the Yorkshire Flooding and Coastal Committee can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/469018/YRFCC_agenda__papers__appendices_and_directions.pdf