SRA Annual Report 2025-26: Community Flood Action Fund
One of the main themes in the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) Strategy 2024-34 is working with communities across Somerset to reduce the risks and impacts of flooding. In December 2024, therefore, the SRA launched a Community Flood Action Fund (CFAF). This enables not-for-profit organisations, such as parish councils, to take practical actions with obvious benefits that can be achieved quite quickly.
In 2025-26, CFAF’s first full year of operation, 11 grants were given for works on local priorities. The parish councils of Aller, Baltonsborough, Carhampton, Croscombe, Godney, Isle Abbotts, Norton Fitzwarren, Ruishton and Thornfalcon, Shepton Beauchamp and West Buckland got single grants, mostly for clearance and desilting works.
Ruishton and Thornfalcon applied twice and got grants for two separate but interlinked schemes for Lower Henlade, also for clearance and desilting works.
During 2025-26, seven schemes were completed. This number includes some places given CFAF grants towards the end of 2024-25.
CFAF schemes completed in 2025-26
Completed schemes were:
Aller, rhyne clearance and ditch works, to reduce flood risks for 15- 20 homes;
Baltonsborough, flailing and weed-cutting along the overgrown Coxbridge Brook, to reduce flood risks to homes in Baltonsborough, Coxbridge and West Pennard, following floods in December 2023 and February 2024;
Godney, partially desilting Decoy Rhyne and James Weir River, restoring the north bank of Decoy Rhyne and sealing leaks, to reduce troublesome overflows of water northwards towards North Drain;
Ham (in West Buckland parish), reducing flood risks along Asham Lane, which flooded more than 10 times in 2024, chiefly impeding access;
Knole near Long Sutton, for a multi-faceted drainage scheme to help reduce flood risks in a hamlet where nine properties (out of a total of 40) flooded over the winters of 2023-24 and 2024-25;
Lower Henlade, 230 metres of ditch clearing to benefit properties, small businesses, and roads;
West Monkton, reducing flooding along Blundells Lane in West Monkton, chiefly to help maintain access for local people and businesses.
Schemes in Knole and Lower Henlade complemented other SRA-funded activities.
CFAF schemes underway in 2025-26
CFAF schemes got underway in Cotford St Luke, Creech St Michael, Croscombe, Isle Abbots, Norton Fitzwarren, Stoke St Mary and West Camel.
Creech St Michael was funded to buy a pump, to be operated by a team of volunteers.
Otherwise, these schemes too mostly involved clearance and desilting. Croscombe, for example, got a grant to create an access chamber into the River Sheppey culvert near the village centre. This chamber will enable Flood Group volunteers to get into the culvert, to remove debris and blockages from a sticking point where it bifurcates. This will reduce the risks of water backing up and overflowing, so helping to protect homes, the village pub and the A371. Croscombe has flooded several times in recent years.
Stoke St Mary got a grant for a thorough programme of works on drainage channels and inflow ditches, to lessen flood risks for people’s homes and to help maintain access to and from the village. In recent years it has sometimes been cut off. A key feature here and elsewhere has been encouraging and empowering volunteers, partly through collaboration with the SRA’s community team.
A resident’s feedback
“The extent of flooding on roads and parishes around us… leaves me in no doubt that CFAF work has transformed the flood risk in the targeted area… more effective than we could have conceivably hoped… Many thanks for your support and funding.
“For info, the volunteer clearing of Black Brook (removing 7 major blockages) and drains maintenance, was also successful in avoiding flooding in the main village itself… Again, this would certainly have been a serious
flood in Stoke St Mary… without the clearance and drains maintenance we undertook ourselves.
“These 2 areas have been our worst flood spots for many years (but not this year). It now feels like we have the proven ability to proactively manage and reduce the risks for ourselves.”
Graeme Watt, Councillor, Stoke St Mary