Representatives from Anglian Water, Essex County Council and Castle Point Borough Council have met with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to present a bid for nearly £25 million to further reduce the risk of future flooding on Canvey Island.

The new funding bid will feed into an already comprehensive programme of works which will be delivered over the next ten years. The proposals include plans for property level protection for over 15,000 homes, improved drainage infrastructure at pinch points highlighted by the Integrated Urban Drainage Study, increased storage areas for surface water and increasing community resilience through enhanced public awareness, local volunteering and educational programmes.

Secretary of State Liz Truss said: “I would like to congratulate Rebecca Harris, Anglian Water, Essex County Council, and Castle Point Borough Council for starting the process and handing the initial bid into us.

“It will be looked at over the next few months and we look forward to receiving further information once the Integrated Urban Drainage study is complete.

“Having visited Canvey Island, I am only too aware of the devastating impact of last year’s floods. That’s why the Government is committed to reducing flood risk for Castle Point residents and their homes and businesses.”

Since the flooding last year.Anglian Water has spent over £700,000 cleaning, surveying and maintaining its network of over ten kilometres of pipes on Canvey Island

Christopher Hayton, Anglian Water's Public Affairs Manager, commented:

“Working to address a complicated issue like flooding, both now and in the future, needs close and continued collaboration between all the organisations which share responsibility for the many varying aspects of flood management.

“Working with our partner agencies, we’ve already been able to achieve great strides forward, including a combined investment in maintaining infrastructure of close to £2million on Canvey Island. This new innovative partnership approach to tackle flood risk has also been able to help fund an Integrated Urban Drainage survey.

“Despite this positive progress we are very aware of the need to continue working collaboratively and keep driving improvements forward. This is why we’ve produced this joint bid to central government.”

To date, multi-agency partners and the Environment Agency between them have spent more than £1.7 million improving the drainage network over the past year. This work includes 10,000m of detailed camera surveying and high pressure jetting as well as 135 repairs to damage in the drainage network. The group has also published two community newsletters and a website where residents can keep up-to-date on the latest work across the island.

Rebecca Harris, MP for Castle Point, added:

“This bid represents a comprehensive upgrade of all the drainage systems on Canvey. The multi-agency group have been working hard to fix any problems they come across and have done so very well since the floods last year.

“However along with the money already allocated last year, and with the funding I secured from the Chancellor in the Budget specifically to prevent flooding in our borough, this bid should mean an end once and for all of people living in fear for their homes and their businesses every time we experience very heavy rain.

“The full bid will be submitted later this year, but by submitting a preliminary bid now it means that whoever is in Government after the General Election in May, they will have it sitting on their desk on the first day on the job."

Date for your diary: In partnership with the Environment Agency, the Flood Expo which takes place in London on 14^th and 15th October presents solutions to widespread flooding problems from the UK’s leading flood prevention companies, alongside an extensive seminar and workshop schedule highlighting new, cost-effective ways to prevent and manage floods. Click here for more information.