Earby to receive flood backing from Yorkshire's Regional Flood and Coastal Committee
Earby residents have been given a “glimmer of good news” on flood defence work in their flood-prone town.
The news that Earby is to received £400,000 from Yorkshire's Regional Flood and Coastal Committee was welcomed by the Liberal Democrat leader of Pendle Borough Council, David Whipp.
Coun. Whipp, who represents Earby on Pendle and Lancashire councils, said: “Following the Environment Agency’s decision to axe over £2m. of funding for flood defence work in Earby a few weeks ago, I wrote to the chair of Yorkshire's Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong, to ask for her support in getting work done on Wentcliffe Beck.
“The good news is that in an emergency meeting this week, her committee has allocated £400,000 to the Earby project. This is a glimmer of good news.
“Although this is nowhere near the full amount likely to be needed for the full scheme on Wentcliffe Beck, the funding means that we remain in the programme.
“Either, we may be able to carry out elements within the overall project, or have a phased approach and press for any additional funding needed to carry out the full scheme.
“Wentcliffe Beck is the main source of flooding for the aptly named Water Street, which is the remaining area at greatest risk of being inundated in Earby. Through action from Pendle Council, £5.5m has been invested in flood defences since devastating flooding a decade ago. We urgently need to plug the last gap in our defences and this funding is crucial.
“I'll continue to lobby the Environment Agency and the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, and have invited its chair to visit Earby with me to see the issues at first hand.”
Earby suffered devastating flooding on Boxing Day 2015. Work has since been carried out on other watercourses in the town, notably New Cut and Victoria Clough which cause flooding elsewhere in the town.
Pendle Council is currently carrying out a feasibility study on the options to reduce the risk of more flooding on Wentcliffe Beck, but further funding is needed to implement the recommended scheme from this study.