ANGER AS FLOODING ACTION ABANDONED IN QUEEN’S SPEECH

Liberal Democrats were dismayed to see that a proposed bill to address flooding across the country was removed from the Queen’s Speech today, throwing fresh doubt on action needed to ensure that future flooding in the district could be reduced.

The government had pledged to introduce a bill to implement the findings of the Pitt Review into the devastating floods of 2007, which hit communities across the country and which affected hundreds of properties in West Oxfordshire. The review carried out by Lord Pitt and published in June 2008 made clear that the risk of flooding continues to grow and to threaten more communities. He recommended a series of actions, 80% of which he said would not cost anything to implement.

The draft bill which the government had planned to announce today would have included:

- tighter building rules in flood-prone areas
- overall strategic control of flood planning given to the Environment Agency.
- a new responsibility for local authorities to produce local surface water management plans and powers to lead on surface water flooding and drainage locally (eg by serving notices on landowners to maintain drains)
- a new ‘opt-out’ telephone flood warning system for all properties at risk

This is a slap in the face to the people who had their lives ruined by the floods last year. The government promised action and everyone thought the Pitt Review was a clear sign of the government’s genuine intentions.

Urgent action is needed across England. Scotland already has a flood risk bill in progress but the UK government is dragging its feet with real action on flooding in England. We may not see any progress before the next General Election in 2010, which is not good enough for residents in West Oxfordshire.

In particular we need landscape-scale planning for water, drainage and flooding with strong environmental priorities, a presumption against any development on floodplains – which the Vale already abides by – and protection for insurance customers against unreasonable conditions, excesses and exclusions. Above all we need action now.