The Environment Agency's flood defence work is funded by a levy on the local councils. Surrey is covered by the Agency's Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. The levies are made on Surrey County Council. The following information is published on behalf of the Environment Agency.
Thames Region
Environment Agency Southern Region is obliged to publish the following information under the requirements of The Council Tax (Demand Notices) (England) Regulations 2011 (as amended).
The Environment Agency is a levying body for its Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Functions under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and the Environment Agency (Levies) (England and Wales) Regulations 2011.
The Environment Agency has powers in respect of flood defence along 5200 kilometres of main river and along tidal and sea defences, in the area of the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. Money is spent on the construction of new flood defence schemes, the maintenance of the river system and existing flood defences together with the operation of a flood warning system and management of the risk of coastal erosion.
Financial details
The majority of funding for flood defence comes directly from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). However, under the new Partnership Funding rule not all schemes will attract full central funding. To provide "matching" funding the Agency may seek funding from County and Metropolitan Councils, Unitary Authorities and London Boroughs in the form of a Local Levy. The Local Levy is shared on the basis of Band D Equivalents between all contributing bodies within the Committee Area.
A change in the gross budgeted expenditure between years reflects the programme of works for both capital and revenue needed by the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee to which you contribute. The total Local Levy raised by this committee has increased by 1.99%
The total Local Levy raised has increased from £11,351,056 in 2018/2019 to £11,576,942 for 2019/2020.
For more information, please visit the Environment Agency website (external link) or call their customer service helpline on 03708 506 506.