‘Give this area crisis status’
LEADER OF Calderdale Council Tim Swift is bidding for Calderdale to be placed as a Tier 1 priority during the next Government Budget meeting on March 11.
Mr Swift’s appeal for long-term support to the government comes after a major package was announced for storm-hit areas including Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Todmorden, and other areas such as Brighouse, Elland, and Sowerby Bridge.
Thousands of pounds in support, as well as full council tax and business rate relief, are now available for businesses and homeowners affected by recent flooding, but Mr Swift said the government should look at more long-term investment.
He said: “I’m sure this package will be welcomed by businesses and residents affected by flooding. The flooding we’ve suffered only happens once every 100 years, but we’ve had two in past four years, so I’d agree during the next Budget the region needs to be put as Tier 1 priority for flood defence investment.
“The government need to look at initiatives such as charity Slow the Flow, which promotes using moorland for renewable methods of managing the environment.”
Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “What we need next is serious longterm investment into tackling climate change, upland management and natural flood management techniques.
“We also need to overhaul how insurers think about flood-prone areas as lots of us are still without insurance.
“Beyond resilience we need to reduce the devastating pacts of these ever more frequent events on our communities.”
The newly-appointed Environment Secretary, George Eustice (circled) said: “We’ve once again seen the devastating effects of floods on households and communities across the country.
“We know climate change means extreme weather events like this are more likely, and are already investing £2.6 billion in flood defences by 2021, with over 600 projects already protecting 200,000 properties.
“This crucial funding will help people make their homes more resilient and better protected if flooding happens again.”