Resilience 

The Board is committed to the improved resilience of the district and keen to explore the options available to it that might present opportunities to defend the lowland areas from excessive flood risk.

The Board acknowledges that the flood plain will always flood, and with the oncoming change in weather expected over the next 5 to 50 years, understands the limitations of what can be achieved. That said, the Board believes that all improvements will positively contribute and build towards the wider resilience mosaic, strengthening its ability to protect, drain, and manage the district it serves.

To compliment this sentiment, and reflect the district management improvements sought from the it’s own strategic objectives, the Board is trialling a funding stream that hopes to aid the completion of smaller natural flood management (NFM) projects. This funding aims to increase the number of NFM projects both inside and outside the district and work towards peak flow reduction through smaller, cheaper, and more manageable interventions. As of August 2023, this fund is in its opening pilot year. The scheme is expected to run initially for 5 years, with a review in 2026 to establish uptake.

For more information on NFM click here

The Resilience Fund

The fund itself comprises monies received as part of the sale of the Board’s old property in Maidstone. As part of its financial plans, the Board wanted to see a positive outcome from the sale and utilise some of the money received in a way that offered tangible outcomes to the stakeholders in the district.
Whilst not specifically designed for any one type of design or delivery body, the fund is designed to help those who are trying to get financial assistance with the design and delivery of a project that can actively demonstrate benefit to the district or the catchment of an IDB watercourse.

The governance of this fund is managed by the Board, its finance committee, and a delegated committee that has the responsibility to offer suggestion of resilience fund applications to the Board.

If you have an NFM scheme that offers potential benefit to the district and would like to apply, please follow the directions in the documentation linked below or contact us at enquiries@medwayidb.co.uk