Shadow Environment Secretary Maria Eagle MP visited Moorland yesterday (Thursday) with Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Bridgwater and West Somerset Mick Lerry, and Councillor Julian Taylor, who was displaced from his home in February and is still waiting to return .
Recent select committee reports have cast doubt on the money promised by Government in February when it came to flood defence funding and warned about Government’s ability to deal with the long term flood risk. Given this Maria also met with a group of local residents, including farmers, at the locally funded temporary Moorland and Fordgate community hub (pictured below left) to hear their experiences of the clean-up operation and the support and information they have had during the process.
Speaking after the visit Maria Eagle MP, Shadow Environment Secretary said:
“Four months on from the flooding the resourceful people here on the Somerset levels are still cleaning up after what were unprecedented circumstances. The Prime Minister’s money no object claim is certainly not the reality on the ground: people have been let down and have seen little evidence of the support they were promised.
“This Government’s response was chaotic and slow, and the pledge made by the Prime Minister was predictably false. The people here are pushing to get long term planning in place to protect their communities and they have been let down by those in a position to help.”
‘Uncertainty about Flooding in the Future’
Councillor Mick Lerry, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Bridgwater and West Somerset added:
“Many flood victims still feel uncertain about flooding in the future, as they go through the strenuous process of rebuilding their homes and businesses. I and other residents welcomed that Maria came back to see how things were going following her visit in February.
“The local Flood Action Plan is more than just dredging the River Parrett. Other infrastructure projects, such as the Parrett Barrage/Barrier and water management are needed to protect the community.”
LINKS;-
Maria Eagle responds to the Committee on Climate Change report that highlights a failure to get to grip with the impact of climate change including the effects of flooding:
http://press.labour.org.uk/post/91229409864/response-to-committee-on-climate-change-report-from
On June 17th Maria responded to a select committee report on the winter floods:
http://press.labour.org.uk/post/88996586754/select-committee-report-proves-camerons-money-no