Flooding: Questions remain over Defence Plans (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

Flooding: Questions remain over Defence Plans

November 16, 2005 12:00 AM

Cllr Andrew Waller (City of York Council Member of the Yorkshire Flood Defence Committee) has today raised questions in response to the Environment Agency's plans to prevent a repeat of the 2000 floods in the City of York.

Cllr Andrew Waller said " I am pleased that there will be improvements to the defences in the Leeman Road area, but we now need details from the Environment Agency as to exactly when these will take place. I would also like more information about the proposal to reduce the flood height of the Ouse before it hits York.

"The council has been working closely with the Environment Agency to tighten up flood defences in the city. All 26 points where there was flooding or risk of flooding in 2000 have been reviewed and work completed, for example at Rawcliffe.

"However, some undefended areas of York will not see any improvements under this plan. Massive investment is needed to prevent sewers from backing up, and I have been campaigning to get Government plans on flood defences to force private water companies to merge their investment plans with those of the Environment Agency and Local Authorities.

"Major flood defence schemes are now decided centrally rather than in the regions, and so we have lost out in this respect. A national target of defending 80,000 "at risk" homes with a cash limited budget has meant severe competition for funding, and York already has some existing hard defences, it has been ranked as a lower priority by the Environment Agency."

"I am happy to take forward residents concerns to future meetings of the Regional Flood Defence Committee"

"It appears that the Environment Agency are thinking decades ahead, when climate change will further concentrate rainfall into the winter months, and we need to be prepared for that. Increased use of flood plains, and Ings could work significantly to reduce the threat of flooding in York."

At last night's briefing of City of York Councillors the Environment Agency was asked to leaflet all affected residents to explain what would be happening, and in cases where works were not going to take place to explain why.