THE signing of a landmark agreement on Monday marked a new era in flood protection and management.

The deal signed in London sealed a £2.7million interim funding package for the creation of a Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) by the end of January.

The SRA will be managed locally and will be central to future flood protection, with responsibilities including extended dredging and the maintenance of already dredged channels.

Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss announced £1.9million funding from Defra, with the rest of the funding coming from Somerset County Council, the county’s five other local authorities and the Somerset Consortium of Drainage Boards.

It will allow the work to commence next year, to reduce the flood risk in the region and a review will be carried out to identify a longterm, local funding solution from 2016/1.

Ms Truss said: “Last winter’s floods were unprecedented. We experienced the wettest winter in 200 years, which took its toll on flood prone communities such as Somerset.

“We have worked hard to protect Somerset from future flooding and to get those affected last winter back on their feet.

The dredging of the rivers Parrett and Tone is complete and crucial works to raise key roads in the area has begun.

“This funding will enable the newly formed Somerset Rivers Authority to make a real difference in its first year.”

The Somerset Rivers Authority forms part of the 20 Year Flood Action Plan which was developed at the request of the Government in response to the exceptional floods last winter.

Cllr John Osman, chairman of the Flood Action Plan Leaders Implementation Group and leader of Somerset County Council, said: “This is an historic milestone for the Flood Action Plan.

“The creation of the Somerset Rivers Authority is the result of intensive work and close co-operation between partners, with a strong determination on everybody’s part to make this happen so that we can better protect our county from the impact of flooding.”

The authority will focus on enhanced maintenance of river channels and flood banks along the county’s waterways, including maintaining the 2014 dredge on the Rivers Parrett and Tone.

Cllr Duncan McGinty, leader of Sedgemoor District Council, said: “Although Sedgemoor was the area that was most affected by last year’s flood I think it is absolutely paramount that the response is county-wide.

“Therefore, we warmly welcome the creation of the Somerset Rivers Authority as an important step forward in helping us to have greater accountability; co-ordinated flood management and much better prospects for securing greater resources to fight flooding in the future.”