The Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Mumby writes:

Homes and businesses near Frome, Minehead, Shepton Mallet and Taunton will be better protected from flooding in the future under a set of exciting new projects.

The Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) was created in 2015 in response to the disastrous floods of 2012 and 2013/14.

The authority, which is funded by the five existing Somerset councils through a 'shadow precept', carries out additional maintenance and big improvements on top of work already being undertaken by councils and the Environment Agency (EA).

The SRA has now published detail of its work programme for the next 12 months, which amounts to just under £3.5M in total.

A number of the projects to which the SRA has committed were announced before the full work programme was published.

The authority is working with the National Trust to restore 125 hectares of floodplains in the upper catchment of the River Aller, protecting nearly 100 properties downstream and safeguarding the vital A39 between Minehead and Porlock.

Other schemes already announced include a scheme to restore the Dulverton weir and leat in Exmoor (working with Somerset West and Taunton Council) and a study to prevent flooding in and around the Haven resort in Burnham-on-Sea.

Here are five new projects on top of these which will ensure homes and businesses are better protected from flooding in the years to come:

:Minehead 25-year action plan: large areas of Minehead are prone to flooding as a result of its coastal position, with there being "increasing concern" about new developments putting unwanted strain on existing drainage systems. At least £120,000 will be spent on a new study which will examine Minehead in detail and produce a list of priority flood prevention projects, for which further funding can then be sought

:A358 Combe Florey drainage improvements: the A358 near the Farmers Arms in Combe Florey is prone to flooding as a result of surface run-off from nearby agricultural land. Somerset County Council carried out emergency repairs on the road in late-January to repair broken embankments, and will work with the SRA on a new drain system with better roadside ditches to prevent the road from being flooded in the future

:River Sheppey catchment action plans: Croscombe and Shepton Mallet have been "historically prone to flooding", with 19 properties being affected by flooding in October 2020 which also made sections of the A371 impassable. The SRA will work with Mendip District Council on a study of the entire river catchment area (including culverts under several listed buildings) which will then provide a plan for any urgent improvements or flood prevention measures

:Creech St Michael culvert upgrade: existing drainage structure in Creech St Michael near Taunton has proved inadequate, with surface water flooding becoming a regular problem for residents and commuters alike. The SRA and county council will work together on installing a new culvert under Charlton Road which will relieve the immediate pressures on around 30 local homes

:Beckington drainage improvements: this village near Frome has seen significant surface water flooding in recent years, especially in the period between early-2011 and late-2013. The SRA will work with Mendip District Council and Wessex Water on major improvements to the local drainage network, focused around properties on Church Hill, Frome Road, Goose Street and Warminster Road

The SRA is also contributing funding and other resources to large-scale maintenance work (such as the enhancement of the River Sowy and King's Sedgemoor Drain) or to big infrastructure projects (such as the Bridgwater tidal barrier).

SRA chairman Councillor David Hall said: "Different parts of Somerset have different challenges with flooding, so we need to tackle those challenges in appropriate ways, and bring people together to achieve the best results.

"Our new enhanced programme gets more partners than ever before working together on a range of SRA-funded activities.

"For example, around Shepton Mallet and Croscombe, where flooding occurred last October, we're going to be looking in great detail at the entire River Sheppey catchment to try to address what needs to be done there to help protect people's homes and businesses.

"I'm hugely proud of the work of the SRA. It's a great example of real partnership working in action."