Purpose

To request approval from Corporate Director,
Environment, in consultation with the Chief Finance officer,
sub-delegated to Assistant Director Resources - Environment, to
submit an application for funding of £50k of the available
Environment Agency Grant in Aid and grant approval of the funding
application prior to the 30th November 2025 deadline.

Decision

Agreed the submission of a £50k funding
application for the available Environment Agency Grant in Aid to
support the Harrogate and Knaresborough River, Rains and Roots
Feasibility Project during 2026-2027.

Reasons for the decision

Harrogate and Knaresborough River, Rains and
Roots is an ambitious, community driven initiative designed to
mitigate climate-related water challenges through nature-based
solutions and social action. It sees to implement a suite of Nature
Based Solutions (NbS), including retrofitted Sustainable drainage
Systems (SuDs, rain gardens, green roofs, living walls, ponds,
swales, and woodland creation. This project would capitalise on the
nature-based solutions criteria and if successful, the national
lottery funding would give significant weighting to any Grant in
Aid and/or Local Levy funding bids if the project is viable
following the feasibility study.

Not open to call in as as urgency procedure in place.

Alternative options considered

None. This is a collaborative project with
indicative contributions of £50k from both Yorkshire Water
and national lottery funding from Yorkshire Dales River
Trust.