UK: Rivers Tone and Parret Dredging Gets Money Boost

A £50,000 contribution will be pumped into a dredging scheme for the Rivers Tone and Parrett under Taunton Deane Borough Council’s annual budget proposals unveiled yesterday.

Leader, Councillor John Williams, said the Council is aware that extreme flooding over the past two years have had a huge impact on the community, and is pledging to contribute £50,000 towards dredging that will help to mitigate the severity of potential flooding. The proposal would need to be ratified by Full Council.

“The floods we are experiencing this year are devastating for so many who live and work on the Levels and Moors – it is the second time in 18 months that people have suffered extreme flooding.

“We do need to work with other partners to try to find a long-term solution to the extreme events we are experiencing now.

“We recognise how terrible the situation is and to make our contribution to dredging the Rivers Tone and Parrett. Action rather than reports is what we need.”

The contribution would be funded from a proposed 2% increase in Taunton Deane’s share of the Council Tax which would increase the average Band D bill by 5p a week – up from £2.59 to £2.64.

The increase is subject to a Government announcement on tax increase limits.

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Press Release, January 29, 2014