Prime Minster David Cameron discussed flood recovery and funding on a visit to Somerset on Friday (April 4th).
The PM toured several villages on the Levels and Moors that were under water during the floods until last month and he inspected the current river dredging work as part of a visit to hear about the recovery efforts.
He also met local authority leaders including Cllr John Osman, Leader of Somerset County Council, and Duncan McGinty, Leader of Sedgemoor District Council, to discuss the key issues in the flood’s aftermath.
Subjects covered included identifying the most important aspects of the 20 Year Flood Action Plan, the need for a Somerset consensus on how it can be funded, and what changes at Government level would help.
Mr Cameron said during his visit: “The pendulum fell too far against dredging and it needs to fall back in favour. I said it would start here by April and it has. I am delighted by that. Now we’re going to dredge four miles of the rivers Tone and Parrett and we’ll take the river level back to where it was in 1960. We’ll increase the river capacity by something like 30 to 40 per cent.”
“We are spending more on the Environment Agency in this parliament than the previous one so the money is there, it is being spent. What was wrong was that dredging wasn’t part of that spending in the past. The Environment Agency went anti-dredging but it needs to happen and be part of a plan and I am here to demonstrate that it is happening.”
Chief Executive of Sedgemoor District Council Kerry Rickards said: “The ongoing interest that the Prime Minister continues to show for the Sedgemoor area, and especially the previously flooded villages of Fordgate and Moorland, is very much appreciated by all concerned. Every visit re-energises Sedgemoor to push in every direction for the much needed funds to implement the Flood Action Plan.”
Cllr Osman added: “The visit was a chance for the Prime Minster to see how our communities are rebuilding their lives and inspect the dredging work now underway. I think it was important for him to see that first hand, but it was also a chance to talk about what happens next.”
“It was a constructive meeting with most of the focus on looking forward and the 20 year plan, and how all the agencies and government – local and national –work together to reduce the risk of flooding like this happening again.”
Sedgemoor District Council has numerous initiatives available to support flood-affected residents such as Council Tax relief for up to 6 months, Business Rate Relief, free pest control, an oil tank advice service, a simple notification process for siting a mobile home and low interest loans.
