Flood-hit areas of Calderdale to benefit from multi-million cash pot to protect against extreme weather devastation

Leader of Calderdale Council Jane Scullion and West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin are today announcing a £22m project to protect homes and businesses across West Yorkshire from flooding.

The cash will be used to put up flood defences, slow the flow of water, and support at-risk businesses.

The announcement follows a letter from Mayor Brabin to Government ministers calling for better and fairer funding for areas that are geographically at greater risk of flooding through no fault of their own.

Councillor Scullion, who is also chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Climate, Energy and Environment Committee, said: “Although we’ve made incredible progress in our flood resilience work since the Boxing Day 2015 floods, people living or working in parts of Calderdale still live with the ongoing threat of serious flooding.

"This concern is shared in areas across West Yorkshire and sadly climate change is making extreme weather events, like flooding, more likely.

“The threat can never be completely removed but we welcome this significant funding which will make a huge difference to communities across the region, supporting a variety of built and natural methods to prevent flooding and protect homes and businesses.”

The £22 million funding will be split across three priorities – a £7m natural flood scheme to slow the flow of water by working with natural systems that boost wildlife, a £5m scheme to help businesses implement new sustainability plans that guard against rising temperatures and water levels, and a £10m scheme to build physical protections.

The projects funded by the West Yorkshire Mayor will be delivered by partners including the National Trust and the Environment Agency.

Stewart Mounsey, Yorkshire area director at the Environment Agency, said: “The Environment Agency, and other risk management authorities, are investing £340m in flood defence schemes in West Yorkshire - with two-thirds of that money coming from Government.

“These projects include the Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme where we are delivering essential flood resilience measures to help protect homes while improving the local environment in the upper catchments of the Calder Valley."