It was identified within the Business Case for our Natural Flood Management Project that delivery on the ground will largely be through the deployment of Catchment Advisors who will engage with landowners and communities to advise them as to how they can implement NFM measures. A Record of Operational Decision was taken on 14 July 2022 to award a contract to the Wye and Usk Foundation for these services.

This decision is to formalise the arrangements for the NFM Capital Grant Scheme and to invite applications for grant funding to support landowners and farmers within the project’s priority sub-catchments in altering their land and water management practices to slow the flow of water and reduce flood risk to downstream communities. Guidance for this grant scheme is attached at Appendix 1 which has been shared with partner organisations through the NFM steering group and which builds upon the successful round of grants we ran under the NFM pilot project.

The budget allocated until 31 March 2027 for this grant scheme is £250,000. We anticipate that it will fund measures such as: Soil Management; Over winter cover; In field water retention; In channel water retention; Fencing; Trackway; Tree planting; and Landowner innovation. Alternative measures can also be proposed where there is a clear benefit to flood risk reduction.

The grant scheme will be promoted through Catchment Advisors, the council’s website, partner networks and via social media to ensure the opportunity is well-publicised.

Further information regarding the grant criteria and the appraisal process is contained within the scheme guidance document.

The amount of support required from the Delegated Grants Team in assisting with the NFM Capital Grant Scheme will be reviewed but will be up to a maximum of £5,000 per annum.