Hundreds of York residents write to demand flood funding from Chancellor (York Liberal Democrats)

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

Hundreds of York residents write to demand flood funding from Chancellor

April 21, 2006 12:22 PM

Almost 300 households in York have written to the Chancellor to demand more funding for flood defences in the City. A recent Government Commission, the National Assessment of Needs for Flood Defences , estimated that an extra £700m nationally is required over the next 10 years.

Cllr David Livesley at the April 2006 floods in Acaster Malbis

Flooding hits York again. The Lib Dems are calling for more money for flood defence.

The Lib Dems have been asking residents to sign a letter calling on the Chancellor to address this shortfall. These letters will now be forwarded to Gordon Brown.

Cllr Richard Moore (Skelton, Rawcliffe and Clifton Without) said "The government cannot simply ignore the advice of their own commission, which says an extra £700 million funding is required over the next 10 years. Many residents in my ward were affected by the floods in 2000, and many suffered serious consequences as a result, such as huge insurance premiums and house sales falling through. The government must act to protect residents from flooding."

Cllr David Livesley (Bishopthorpe and Acaster Malbis) said "I am not surprised that residents have responded so promptly to this campaign, as we have a clear recollection of how poor the flood defences are in Bishopthorpe and Acaster Malbis. I only hope that the Chancellor will listen to the residents of York, and increase funding for this vital purpose."

Cllr Martin Bartlett with residents flooding letters to the Chancellor

Hundreds of residents have backed a Lib Dem campaign calling for more money for flood defences

Cllr Martin Bartlett (Holgate Ward Councillor) said "The residents of the Leeman Road area have long been concerned about flood defences, and were rightly shocked to read that the government is underfunding this necessary provision. I will continue to campaign until York's flood defences are effective and completed."

The Liberal Democrats will now send the replies to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, and await his response.

Last month, City of York Council accepted a Lib Dem motion calling on local MPs to sign up to an Early Day Motion (number 1342) urging the government to increase flood defence funding. This motion was passed unanimously, but local Labour MP Hugh Bayley has still refused to sign.

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Currently the government spends just 0.01% of all expenditure on flood defence - about £500m annually. The latest commission set up by the government, the National Assessment of Needs for Flood Defences, has found that the current level of funding will fall short of what is needed by £700 million over the next 10 years. The Foresight Future Flooding Report, released in April 2004 by the Department of Trade and Industry, also recommended that similar levels of investment are needed.