New grant help for communities tackling flooding

Up to £200,000 will be made available each year

Up to £200,000 a year in grants for work to combat flooding is soon to become available to communities in Somerset.

Launched by the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA), which was set up after devastating floods hit the county a decade ago, groups will be able to apply for grants of between £3,000 and £20,000.

The fund is designed to reach people with local knowledge of flooding problems and is aimed at not-for-profit organisations such as town and parish councils and charities.

Councillor Mike Stanton, chair of the SRA, said the scheme showed the organisation was "putting our money where our mouth is".

"As it says in the SRA's strategy, one quality that sets the SRA apart is its practical enthusiasm for ideas that come from communities for dealing with flooding problems," he said.

He added that the fund was expected to be "very popular" with lots of groups across the county interested in applying.

A deadline for the first round of grant applications has been set for 25 February, with successful applicants being given the funding from April. Three more funding rounds are set to take place next year.