Close call of flooding in Kirkstall must be a wake up call to Government over flood defence cash

They know all too well the devastation flooding can have following the staggering scenes they witnessed from Boxing Day 2015.

Kirkstall Road itself was transformed into a river as businesses were forced to begin a mass clean-up operation.

As Storm Ciara battered they kept their fingers crossed that they wouldn’t be counting the cost of flood damage.

They were lucky this time - yet it was so very close.

Next time our city’s luck might just run out.

There is a budget shortfall of more than £20m between what the Government committed and what is needed to protect the city of Leeds.

It will be five years since the city was left under a deluge of water and since then voices have united to pressure the Government to deliver on its promise.

Surely this must provide the Prime Minister with the wake-up call needed to properly protect our city.

Act now, before it’s too late -for the sake of Leeds.