FLOODING: GREENS HIGHLIGHT HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITIES AT RISK
Scottish Greens today highlighted hundreds of communities at risk of flooding but not included on the list of projects funded by the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government's newly-published Flood Risk Management Plan shows that although 252 “Potentially Vulnerable Areas” have been identified, there are only 42 projects funded and only 3 communities getting property level protection (PLP) such as gates for individual houses.
The Greens also pointed out that the annual average damage from flooding in Scotland is estimated to be £252 million yet the Scottish Government's funding for flood schemes only amounts to £235 million for the next five years.
Councillor Mark Ruskell, Climate Change and Environment spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP candidate for Mid-Scotland and Fife, said:
"The terrible flooding experienced across Scotland in recent weeks has caused misery for householders and businesses, and it's simply not credible for the Scottish Government to claim it has fully funded protection measures. Greens have consistently urged greater effort to prepare for increasingly extreme weather events.
"We can see from the government's own plans that there are hundreds of communities at risk but with no funding earmarked. And we can see that the provision of flood gates for homes is simply not on the government's radar.
"The Scottish Government is funding too few schemes, too slowly. Councils trying to plug the gap are struggling due to austerity and the Council Tax freeze. Greens will continue to push this issue up the agenda to deliver real protection for vulnerable communities."
The 3 communities getting PLP support are Jedburgh, Cummock and Catrine, and Greenock and Gourock.