The battle to reduce flood risks across Staffordshire - including Burton - has received a new £2.7 million cash boost for the next four years.

Staffordshire County Council is working with a range of organisations, including the Environment Agency, district councils and Severn Trent Water, to help manage flood problems across the county.

The authorities say many local flood improvement schemes have already been delivered across the county, with more projects to be paid for out of a further £2.7million it has secured in external funding up to 2021.

The county council is also supporting the Environment Agency to deliver large and complex flood protection schemes in Burton and Rugeley.

The Environment Agency has announced a funding package worth £17million for a project that would make Burton's flood defences 'more resilient'.

Pictures taken from the Burton Mail archive of the flooding of November 2000
Pictures taken from the Burton Mail archive of the flooding of November 2000

The £17 million project in Burton will include work to improve the the 9km of existing defences which already protect more than 7,000 homes and businesses in Burton, with a further 3,358 properties set to benefit.

In addition, a number of flood action groups have now been set up who will be able to get cash via a community grant system to pay for small scale flood relief works in their areas.

The county council says it is now able to play a greater role in the flood planning process, giving advice on where developments , like new housing estates, would be at greater risk of flooding and also on sustainable drainage systems. Typical drainage systems include rainwater harvesting and absorbent paving and ponds, said a spokesman for the county.

Over the last two years, the county council has responded to 520 major planning applications in Staffordshire and 375 non-major applications. The Environment Agency estimates that for every £1 spent influencing planning applications, there are £10 of flood damages avoided.

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Cabinet support member for flood risk management Helen Fisher said: "The role of the county council in minimising flood risk has increased in recent years and it is now using its expertise to support other authorities. This is a hugely significant issue as communities can be blighted by flood risk and the local economy hit hard.

"While we are leading on work to reduce flood risk from smaller watercourses and overland run-off, we are working with the Environment Agency to manage flooding from rivers on larger schemes, such as in Rugeley and Burton.

"We have also implemented a number of local flood schemes across the county after successfully winning external funding and are having greater influence on planned development. We have made great progress in recent years and we will now look to build on this to give communities greater peace of mind in coming years."

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The day Burton town centre almost flooded

Floods caused devastation to some streets in Burton and surrounding villages back in November 2000. It rained for days and as the puddles got bigger, so did the levels of the River Trent, which eventually burst its banks and the entire Washlands was under water. The town's new £1 million flood defences at the time did their job and stopped the town centre flooding, despite fears the they would be breached.

During the drama the Ferry Bridge was also closed as the river was almost lapping onto the viaduct. The ornamental swan in Stapenhill Gardens looked as if it was swimming in the river too.

Traffic was brought to a halt and anyone who lived close to the town put on their walking shoes to make sure they got home safely.

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