Burnham-On-Sea’s Conservative parliamentary candidate has written to Prime Minister David Cameron calling for more action to prevent further flooding on the Somerset Levels.
James Heappey has joined local residents and district and county councillors in calling for more preventative action as Somerset faces more heavy rain this weekend.
He said: “We are seeing floods in our area all too frequently and it is time for some serious investment in both our rivers and drains, and in flood defences for the most vulnerable towns and villages.”
“Somerset County Council and Sedgemoor District Council are doing what they can with the resources available to them but it is time for the Environment Agency and for the government to commit the necessary resources to tackle flooding here in Somerset.”
“So far the worst of the flooding has been further south in Somerset but as I have been travelling around over the last few days, you can see that the land is water-logged, the rhynes and drains are full and with the high tides due next week along with further heavy rain; I am concerned that we could see widespread flooding in the Burnham, Wedmore and Meare areas,” continued James.
“I have joined neighbouring Bridgwater MP, Ian Liddell-Grainger, in writing to both the Prime Minister and Eric Pickles to call for immediate action to help the communities affected by the floods.”
“That must be the priority for now. However, I have also highlighted to them the frequency with which Somerset’s villages are being threatened by flooding and called for urgent investment in better dredging and flood defences.”
