To seek approval for the launch of the Natural Flood Management Construction Grants Scheme.

The grant scheme will help Herefordshire Council deliver the Defra funded River Wye and Lugg Natural Flood Management Project, which aims to reduce flood risk to downstream communities by working with natural process to slow the flow of water. The grant scheme will provide the necessary funding to implement Natural Flood Management (NFM) measures within the project’s priority sub-catchments. Funding will be available to anyone within the sub-catchments to undertake agreed land and water management techniques which help reduce flood risk by using natural processes.

(a)        The Natural Flood Management (NFM) Construction Grant Scheme as detailed in Appendix A be approved with a budget up to £100,000; and

(b)        The Directorate Services Team Leader be authorised to determine grants in accordance with the scheme criteria

1.          Not to approve the grant scheme has the potential to prevent the successful delivery of the River Wye and Lugg Natural Flood Management Project (which has a delivery deadline of 31 March 2021). Whilst transferring the funding to another body to distribute on our behalf may be an option, this was not deemed appropriate as this is public funding which the council is best placed to allocate, given its role as lead local flood authority.