YEP says: Promises over Leeds Boxing Day floods cannot be allowed to ebb away

Leeds will not forget Boxing Day three years ago, when floods unleased by Storm Eva destroyed businesses and devastated homes in the city.

As people in Leeds bailed out the stinking floodwaters they were promised by Government that they would enjoy “one of the most resilient flood defence programmes in the country”.

Although £65m has been made available for the scheme, a funding gap of £18.6m needs to be bridged before it offers the one-in-200-year level of protection wanted by council bosses.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves, is determined that the Government will not be allowed to forget its promise and that there will not be a repeat of the kind of devastation seen in the Kirkstall area of her constituency.

“It’s now almost exactly three years since the devastating Storm Eva floods, yet there is still no commitment from the Government to properly protect Kirkstall,” she said, as she met people in the area to discuss their continuing fears over further flooding. “The Government is risking people’s homes and businesses by failing to release the necessary funds to ensure proper protection against a repeat of those devastating floods.”

As one of the fastest growing cities in the UK with a thriving economy the UK Government should want to protect businesses in this area and she’s right to keep fighting for it.