In recent years, the financial strain of preventing major floods has become a severe burden for district councils in England, particularly in low-lying areas.
Ministers are being warned that the escalating costs of maintaining pumping stations are pushing many councils to their breaking point, with some having to cut essential services to cope.
Districts in the eastern regions, such as Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, are facing the brunt of this crisis.
The rising costs of pumping stations, driven by increased rainfall and soaring energy bills, have forced these councils to allocate a significant portion of their budgets—up to 20%—toward drainage levies. This is unsustainable, given that costs have surged by an average of 30% over the past two years.
The situation has been exacerbated by a series of severe storms, leading to catastrophic flooding that has damaged thousands of homes and businesses.
Paul Redgate, deputy leader of South Holland district council, expressed the dire situation: “To say it’s challenging is an understatement. We can’t afford to cut funding for the pumping stations, but the rising costs are a massive strain.”
Innes Thomson, chief executive of the Association of Drainage Authorities, highlights the dilemma councils face: “We are stuck between a rock and a hard place. The local authority funding system simply cannot keep up with the growing demands on watercourse drainage networks.”
Rising drainage levies challenge low-lying areas, forcing councils to cut vital community services.Pumping stations, essential for managing rainfall in low-lying areas, are now operating far beyond their traditional schedules due to excessive rainfall.
Some stations that once ran for three months a year are now in operation for seven months, and their energy bills have skyrocketed—some by as much as 500%.
For instance, St Germans in Norfolk faced unprecedented demands during Storm Henk, discharging water at a rate equivalent to two Olympic swimming pools every minute. Despite their crucial role, pumping stations are struggling with aging machinery and soaring operational costs.
The financial burden of these pumping stations and watercourse maintenance has traditionally been covered by local council taxpayers. However, the impact of climate change and rapidly increasing energy costs has made this approach untenable.
Many councils are now finding that the money raised through council tax rises, capped at 2.99%, is insufficient to meet the drainage levy, leading to significant cuts in local services.
Boston borough council in Lincolnshire, for example, is allocating 22% of its net budget to the drainage levy, a figure that has jumped by £800,000 in the past three years.
Similarly, East Lindsey District Council has seen its drainage levy increase by nearly £1.37 million this year, far surpassing its council tax revenue.
Sam Chapman-Allen, chair of the District Councils’ Network, argues for better funding, stating, “Proper funding is crucial to maintaining flood defenses and preventing catastrophic flooding. IDBs are forced to pass higher costs onto councils, which in turn have to cut back on vital local services.”
The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has acknowledged the crisis and is set to launch a Flood Resilience Taskforce to enhance flood defenses and drainage systems. A government spokesperson assured that steps will be taken to build sustainable homes and improve climate resilience.
As the financial and environmental challenges continue to mount, the need for a more robust and equitable solution to flood prevention funding becomes increasingly urgent.