Memorandum submitted by the Alde and Ore
Association (FL 136)
COMPREHENSIVE SPENDING REVIEW: FLOOD DEFENCE
EXPENDITURE
Like the Association of British Insurers (see
their press statement at Annex A[56])
the Alde and Ore Association considers the provision for flood
defence expenditure in the latest Comprehensive Spending Review
(CSR) is totally inadequate. The Government have clearly failed
to grasp the problems facing coastal communities. We support the
view of the newly launched SCAR's (Suffolk Coast Against Retreat's)
that expenditure on defending our coasts and tidal rivers needs
to rise to at least £30 million a year (see Annex B[57]).
We also welcome the joint statement by Suffolk County Council,
Waveney District Council and Suffolk Coastal District Council
challenging the latest Environment Agency proposals for the Blyth
Estuary (Annex C).[58]
In his press statement the Secretary of State,
Hilary Benn, announced that expenditure on flood defences over
the next three years will be increased by at least £2.15
billions well short of the £3 billion, ie £1 billion
a year, which it is widely recognised is the minimum needed nationally
to cope with the challenge of climate change and sea level rise.
Interestingly he describes the increase for each year as being
"the minimum we will spend in each of the coming years".
This is probably explained by the announcement in the CSR documentation
that DEFRA is currently planning to dispose of assets worth £52
million by 2010-11. It appears the Treasury have agreed that these
savings may be reinvested in capital programmes.
But underlying these figures is the assumption
that DEFRA will achieve net cash release savings of £379
million by 2010-2011 and a reduction in the Department's running
costs (administration budget) of nearly £100 million by 2010-11
which represents a reduction of over 20% of estimated spending
in 2007-08. This implies significant manpower cuts in DEFRA staffing
levels.
As far as the East Coast is concerned we have
been told by the Environment Agency that little of this increase
in flood defence expenditure, assuming it takes place, will be
seen in Suffolk. By far the greater part is already committed
to approved projects already in the pipeline and priority will
be given to people and property in inland areas.
What we are not told is what happens if we have
another farming crisis or management fiasco such as that which
occurred when the Treasury insisted on cuts in DEFRA's spending
following the rural payments system debacle. Although the Treasury
has included in its contingency reserve figures (the AME Margin)
£6 billion over the next three years for unforeseen expenditure
the convention is that any expenditure beyond that provided for
in Departmental budgets should be sought from savings from within
the Department's agreed budget. Because a very large part of DEFRA's
expenditure is subject to EU common agricultural policy rules
DEFRA's scope for finding offsetting savings, if needed, is very
limited.
The Alde and Ore Association will continue to
press for increased expenditure by Government and associated bodies
to prevent flooding. Current policies, if replicated in our area,
will put hundreds of homes in Aldeburgh, Orford and other local
villages at risk. We firmly reject the Government's present policy
for the Suffolk coast which effectively amounts to abandoning
most of our coastal and river defences as part of the policy of
"making space for water".
David Andren
Chairman
The Alde and Ore Association
October 2007
56 Not printed. Back
57
Not printed. Back
58
Not printed. Back
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