SRA Annual Report 2023-24: SRA Strategy
During 2023-24, Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) partners worked on the development of an SRA Strategy for 2024-34, ten years having passed since the floods of 2013-14 that prompted the SRA’s creation. The new Strategy includes lessons learned from three main sources: from the SRA’s own history since January 2015, from Somerset flooding over many years, and more recently from the intensifying impacts of climate change. With some support from consultants at WSP, members of the SRA’s Board, Management Group and Technical Group studied
SRA partners’ own plans and strategies, held extensive talks with SRA partners, and listened to the desires and frustrations expressed by residents, businesses and stakeholders across Somerset. A temporary SRA strategy website was created for people to comment upon a draft version of the Strategy and to share their flood concerns on an interactive map. Online sessions were also held to give people chance to express their views frankly and ask questions directly.
What was agreed: the SRA’s core purpose is to “reduce the risks and impacts of flooding”, its core principles are “acting on local priorities, working together, doing extra”. What gives SRA works their own distinctive fingerprint is the combination of the following five themes:
- Working with communities
- Strengthening operations, boosting maintenance
- Building resilience, encouraging adaptation
- Protecting the economy from flooding
- Conserving and enhancing the special environments of Somerset
The Strategy combines purpose, principles and themes in the following objectives:
- Reduce the risks and impacts of flooding across Somerset.
- Maintain access and connections during times of flood for communities and businesses across Somerset.
- Increase the resilience of people, places and the environment to flooding, while adapting to climate change.
- Protect Somerset’s economy from the impacts of flooding, promote business confidence and encourage new opportunities.
- Conserve and enhance Somerset’s special environments (natural, built, social, cultural) for all who live and work in Somerset and visit.
It was agreed the SRA would take a catchment-based approach towards fulfilling these objectives, not looking at flooding problems in isolation, but aiming to connect all relevant factors, places, people and potential sources of funding. Between 2024 and 2034, the SRA will fund proposals which reduce the risks and impacts of flooding, and benefit Somerset people and places in as many ways as possible.