Flooding shows it’s time to upgrade our antiquated sewerage & waste water system
ALOT has happened since I last wrote for the Derby Telegraph back in May. Coronavirus continues to dominate my postbag, with hundreds of residents and business seeking my assistance each week.
But whilst the pandemic remains the focus of national attention, life goes on, and I have also been dealing with a number of other issues, not least the severe flooding which recently affected large parts of Ilkeston.
Flooding has to be one of the worst experiences a family or business can go through and so to have your property flooded twice in the space of just four days by rain, which can only be described as “biblical”, must have been devastating for many residents, including those living in and around Beatty Walk.
However, whilst the situation may have been terrible, it is times like these that we see the very best of our communities and Ilkeston was no exception, coming out in force to help with the clean-up and support those affected, including with many generous donations such as sand to fill sandbags, clothes, furniture and other essentials.
Although the clean-up process may now be winding down, I know from meeting with affected residents and businesses that the legacy of this flooding will last long into the future.
I am clear that preventable flooding on this scale should not be allowed to happen again and so I am pleased, following a preliminary meeting with Severn Trent, local councillors and other partner agencies, to have been confirmed as the chair of a new flood resilience forum.
Whilst there is no quick way of solving what is a complex problem, through the forum, I am determined to drive forward a comprehensive longterm plan to upgrade our antiquated sewerage and waste water system and ensure that adequate flood protection measures are installed.
To aid this process, it is important to first understand where flooding occurs and so if you were a victim of the recent flooding, even if it was just your garden or garage, please report it directly to Severn Trent. Full details of how to do this can be found at https:// www.stwater.co.uk/in-my-area/ report-a-problem-overview.
Turning back to coronavirus, I am sure like me, many Derby Telegraph readers will have been relieved to finally have a post-lockdown haircut at the weekend or may have even enjoyed a socially-distanced drink down the Dog and Duck.
As the lockdown restrictions are eased and our economy begins to reopen, the Government continues to take the necessary steps to protect people and businesses from the immediate economic crisis. This includes supporting people to find the jobs that are out there, creating new jobs through investing in infrastructure, and protecting jobs by revitalising the hard-hit sectors upon which many jobs depend.
On Wednesday, the Chancellor announced a further £30 billion package designed to support jobs, including a 15% reduction in VAT for the hospitality sector, the temporary removal of stamp duty on homes under £500,000 and a £1,000 job retention bonus for employers who keep people in work.
By taking this unprecedented action, the Chancellor is ensuring that British businesses have the confidence to retain and hire, create jobs in every region and ensure young people have the opportunity of a better start.
Whilst the situation may have been terrible, it is times like these that we see the very best of our communities