North Somerset Council is confronting unexpected financial pressures after being tasked with maintaining several rivers, following the Environment Agency’s recent decision to reduce its involvement due to budget cuts.
River maintenance plays a vital role in flood prevention for the low-lying Somerset region and has traditionally been managed by the Environment Agency. In August, the agency announced it would cease or significantly cut back these activities, shifting the responsibility to landowners with watercourses running through their property, known as riparian owners.
This shift has raised concerns across Somerset, prompting calls for a parliamentary debate. North Somerset Council finds itself additionally burdened, not in its role as flood prevention authority, but because it owns land with watercourses, making it a riparian owner as well.
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A forthcoming report to a council scrutiny panel emphasizes the new challenge: “As a riparian owner, NSC must meet responsibilities it has not previously managed. There is no budget allocated for this added duty nor the resources to execute a maintenance program.”
The report further notes that North Somerset Council lacks a dedicated revenue budget for watercourse upkeep, and the Environment Agency will not provide funds for the work. The current expenditure by the Environment Agency on North Somerset’s rivers remains unclear.
This new obligation compounds the council’s financial struggles. Facing rising social care demands, North Somerset Council is planning library closures to control costs and recently warned it might not balance its budget next year without government financial support.
The report cautions: “Without a dedicated budget for main river maintenance, any allocation would divert funding from other essential priorities.”
In September, Portishead South councillor Peter Burden condemned the Environment Agency’s unilateral decision at a full council meeting, stating, “As the lead flood risk authority, it is unacceptable that the Environment Agency did not consult us. However, local organizations may be willing to manage some of these assets responsibly over time.”
Councillor Burden also highlighted the widespread responsibilities of riparian owners, noting that “residents in areas like Clevedon may be surprised to learn of their duties concerning local watercourses. The abrupt nature of this change, implemented without sufficient consultation, is deeply problematic.”
The Land Yeo river, which runs behind numerous gardens in Clevedon, will still be maintained by the Environment Agency this year due to savings made elsewhere, according to the scrutiny panel report.
In response to these developments, the council resolved in September to formally express its concerns to the Environment Agency and advocate for the reinstatement of river maintenance efforts in Somerset. Though not legally required, the Environment Agency has historically provided such maintenance under permissive powers, prioritizing areas with the greatest risk to people and property.