Pagham council agrees £5 flood relief levy

A £5 levy on homeowners to help create a flood defence fund was agreed by Pagham councillors this week.

The charge by Pagham Parish Council, equal to around 1 a resident, will produce a total of 6,500.

This will be used towards paying for any emergency action needed if the sea breaks through the fragile defences around Pagham Yacht Club.

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This flooding would affect the low-lying Pagham Beach estate as well as a large area further inland, with electricity and sewage services likely to be hit.

The fund is expected to be almost doubled by the amount put aside for councillors' allowances.

Pagham council members have traditionally declined to take the money to which they are legally entitled. If this continues, it will free another 6,336 from next year's budget for the fund.

In all, the council's annual budget from April will rise by 22 per cent to 78,000. It currently equals 24.58 for a band D household. The increase was agreed by four votes in favour with one abstention.

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The decision to put money aside to help residents whose lives could be devastated by flooding was made after an impassioned 20-minute speech by council leader Cllr Ray Radmall.

He said a real risk existed flooding would occur within a year along the West Front Road and East Front Road frontage.

A 1.2m scheme to build up the depleted sea defences was being delayed because Arun District Council refused to fund a study before the Environment Agency had agreed it. This was unlikely to occur until April.

Arun's emergency plan was about responding to a crisis by bussing residents to the Arun Leisure Centre in Felpham rather than preventing it, he stated.

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'We are still at risk,' said Cllr Radmall. 'The prediction is clear.

'If we have a tidal surge, possibly one metre, it will be quite devastating for Pagham.

'I don't think we should stand back and say that elderly folk living alone or families with children should be put at risk because we failed to take wise precautions.

'While others may abdicate responsibility, it's this council which must show good faith and demonstrate proper commitment. We should show we are not afraid of asking our community for a small increase in council tax to plan properly.

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'I would rather be unpopular for pushing for a 5 increase on a band D household in a year than be even more unpopular for doing nothing with people saying what are the council doing about the fact we have water pouring in down by the Lagoon.'