Greens' call for better flood responses watered down by Conservatives

19 December 2017

The Conservative Group at Lancashire County Council amended a motion brought forward by Green County Councillor Gina Dowding at the County Council meeting on 14 December which nullified any calls for changes. Improvements in flood prevention, flood mitigation and responses by agencies were deleted from the text, including the call to ask for Government to extend grants for flood victims to those affected in the recent floods last month in Lancaster.

County Councillor Gina Dowding said: “ The  Conservative amendment means that the decision has no teeth. They completely watered down the call to start doing things differently. One of the clear requests from local people which was expressed strongly at all the meetings following the floods last month is to have more local accountability for  the drains and gully cleaning regime. My call to transfer the gully clean programme to the City Council was completely rejected by the Conservatives.”
The Greens on the City Council will also put a  call to the City to take responsibility for gully cleating  at the Full Council meeting on Wednesday 20th December.
 
Text of the  Full  motion is below. The Conservatives deleted all the text after the 4th paragraph so  in effect deleting the 5 point plan and leaving it just as warm words.The City Council’s motion to be discussed is attached here 

 By County Councillor Gina Dowding
 
Council is concerned that areas of Lancashire flooded last month, and the lives of Lancashire's residents in some rural communities, towns and villages, have been badly impacted. Residential properties, community buildings and businesses were affected causing both economic hardship and distress to our residents.
                         
Council recognises that factors contributing to flooding resulting from heavy rainfall are varied and include a lack of current capacity of drains and gullies. Responses for action to mitigate future flooding are required from a range of agencies including our own Highways Service, Flood Risk Management, the Environment Agency, United Utilities and the Canal and River Trust.
 
Council recognises the importance of swift and efficient flood responses to assist those affected during a flood as well as the support and advice services required after a flood in order for people to get their lives and businesses back to normal.
 
Council will act to ensure that flood prevention, flood mitigation and flood responses are undertaken to the highest possible standard.
 
Council resolves:
 
(i)            To ensure that reducing risk of flooding both to new and pre-existing properties, is the key factor when considering all future strategic land use plans and individual planning applications.
(ii)          To call on Government to support plans to develop and implement river catchment flood management plans where appropriate in the county, with a strategic review of upland land management in catchment areas and the adoption of sustainable flood management initiatives (such as increased tree planting, upland overflow/temporary balancing lake).
(iii)         To call on Government and other national agencies to extend grants for flood victims of the November 2017 floods in Lancashire.
(iv)         To support the timely implementation of one stop advice and response centres for flooding where this is in the interests of best service to Lancashire residents affected by flooding.
(v)          To consider transfer, with a commensurate budget, of powers for implementing gully clearing to local district councils where requested so that local knowledge and streamlining of resources may enable effective and timely gully clearing.
 
 






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