Councillors praise flood plan progress
Stirling Council is said to be well placed when it comes to snapping up Scottish Government funding to tackle flood prevention.
The local authority could deliver four flood schemes in Bridge of Allan, Stirling, Aberfoyle and Callander.
While the schemes have not yet achieved criteria set by the Scottish Government, the council said they are “much further developed than some schemes prioritised for other local authorities”, with SEPA said to be more confident in these four projects than with schemes from other districts.
Officials said the Bridge of Allan and Stirling schemes will be among the first to be put to the Scottish Government for funding consideration.
If selected they will require partfunding from the council’s capital budget.
“The percentage contribution from the Scottish Government has yet to be finalised,” said a report to last week’s housing and environment committee.
“Bridge of Allan is well developed and currently has been narrowed to two options. Stirling city is a much bigger project that has yet to be fully reported to the council.”
“The other two schemes will probably require 100 per cent funding from the council but that may still be influenced by the removal of the current £2 million cut-off (where Scottish Government funding is unavailable for schemes valued below that figure).
“Detailed work is already well advanced for the Aberfoyle scheme while the detail for Callander is under development.”
The committee agreed that the prioritised actions list for the Stirling Council area be included in the local flood risk management plan for 2016-2022.
Members also noted that the plan would have financial implications for the council and that a further report would be submitted once the Scottish Government had confirmed the mechanism for allocating capital support to local authorities for delivering the schemes.
Committee chair Danny Gibson said: “Certainly the contribution of the Scottish Government will be significant in terms of what we will be able to do and our work is certainly ahead in comparison to some other local authorities so we are front and centre.”
Councillor Mark Ruskell said he had concerns that some projects may not go forward because of lack of funds.
Officials said Scottish Government money would be set aside for the council, who would draw down on the money once there were final designs, but that the schemes would also have to be managed within the local authority’s own finances.
Councillor Martin Earl said: “The work done is substantial and very professional.
“We are very appreciative of the work that has been done, is being done and will be done but we could also take the opportunity to update people with a briefing, meet the communities and indicate how the money has been spent so far.”
Councillor Gibson said: “It is perfectly fine for us to do that and get the information out.”
Councillor Neil Benny said: “This lives and dies on the amount of money available for it.
“There is a concentration of the funding at the moment on urban areas, which is understandable and rational, given they have the most number of premises therefore the impact is more widespread, but Stirling is ready for action on this and willing.
“Some of the schemes are doable within the context of the current budget and it is about to the Scottish Government about how much importance Stirling Council puts on this.
“We need to show ourselves willing on this and I think we do show ourselves willing.”
This lives or dies on the amount of money available for it