Floods meeting held in Leeds

Mary Creagh MP, chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, was in Leeds today to hear from politicians, businesses, members of the community and others from across Yorkshire to hear their experiences and views on what can be done as part of its current review of Government policy and action on flooding.

The watchdog is due to report shortly and it is considering how Government departments and public bodies can better co-operate and what is required from Government to ensure the UK is equipped to face future floods.

Ms Creagh, the MP for Wakefield said: “With climate change increasing extreme rainfall, we’re going to have to get better at dealing with and preventing flooding.”

Speaking after the meeting she said the committee, which is due to publish its report in the coming weeks, said there was a real concern that communities could become “no-go areas.”

“What flood affected communities need is certainty and comfort that this is not going to happen again,” she added.

The Boxing Day floods affected a swathe of communities including parts of Leeds, York, the Calder Valley, Tadcaster and a number of other areas across the county.

John Benson, managing director of A Taylor & Son, fabrication engineers, which has four sites in Leeds, including one at Kirkstall, which was badly-affected by the Boxing Day floods and only became fully operational at the end of March, also attended the meeting. He said ensuring firms could get sensible insurance cover was a major issue for firms.